Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-18
ASKS 100000
FROM TERRITORY
FOR HAWAII ROAD
James w. Russell Declares
Volcano Highway Would Be
Asset to All Islands

Funds or Taxation VAS the Civic
convention topic Of Attorney James
". Russell in an address delivered
al the afternoon session yesterday. lie
argued for the raising or $lUn,f"l0 for
4 payed road from Hilo TO the Vol
>ano. contending that it would be
territorial asset, as we'll as one for
the Island OF Hawaii.
In Iart. the Hiio attorney said:
1t requires no effort at logical dc
ducti0n OF SylloSistic reasoning 10 de-
moastrate that the ACCESSIBILITY or ne
-esslty of borrowing money depends
upon our state of finances with rci.
erence TO the amount needed.
This situation was strongly EN-
phasized in the difference OF our tax
receipts between the years 1915 and
1916. Our tax receipts Of 1916 eX-
ceeded those of 1915 BY over $S0u,0O0
and the receipts Of this year will eX-
coed those of 1915 by over million
dollars. yet the tax rate has been re-
duced each year so that our average
rate this year will be about nine per
cent less than the rate Of 1915, the
average tax rate in 1915 being 40
plus, and the average rate for this
year being 1.2S. If Notwithstanding
a reduction in the tax rate of IL our
receipts are increased by over mil
lion dollars, an increase OF over %
per cent, it requires but matter OF
simple computation to arrive at the
additional income the government
would be enjoying had it kept up its
tax rate.
IF specific tax were to be levied
to pay for the Hilo-Volcano concrete
road in the three years that it would
require TO complete the road, at the
present assessable value OF property,
the additional tax rate would be only
about .06, which added TO the present
tax rate would be less than the rate
Of last year. Not only would this
give US the permanent improvement
desired with tax rate that measured
by previous years is normal and mod
crate, but considered in the light OF
cur ability to respond to this rate
is considerably less burdensome than
the taxes paid in less fourishing
times.
If we can get this improvement
without bonding, let us do SO. The less
bonds we issue the more we are con-
serving our future strength and sta
bility."
A resolution was introduced by l..
A. Thurston at the afternoon session.
recommending the adoption of the
cantonier system, that the territory
share in the expense of building roads
of general use, and that a committee
of five be appointed to use their en-
deavors toward the carrying out OF
the resolution.
The resolution was referred to the
resolutions committee
w. o. Smith presented a resolution
yesterday afternoon that the conven-
ton should &C en- record as highly
commencing the answer of President
Wilson to the peace proposals of the
Pope Of Rome, and that copies of the
resolution be sent to the president and
other government officials in Wash
ington This was also referred to the
resolutions committee.
A resolution introduced by Z. A.
Perndt recomne ended that the terri
tory should take a share of the ex-
lenses of building road to the Vol
cano from Hilo. 1t was turned over
to the committee.
James H. MoTagne was another af-
ternoon speaker who had "'Mainten-
ance of Good Roads for his conven-
| ton subject. He is the county engi-
neer of the Kauai and spoke with
great familiarity and ability of the
problems the islands of this territory
had to meet in solving its road prob
lens.
Road problems of the Island of Ha-
wall" was paper by James c. Foss,
| Jr., w. w. Edwards and A. c. Wheel
er, engineers of the island, but owing
to the absence of Mr.. Foss the paper
was read to the convention by II. D.
Corbett, postmaster at Hilo.
More obstacles confront tbs engi-
neer of road construction in Hawaii
than in any Of the other islands, the
| paper read, the Big Island having
| roads through forest, prairie, desert,
| recent lava flows and very old soil.
Other difficulties are the extremes ex-
| perienced in rainfall in various parts
of the island.
The only kind of road which ap-
pears to Withstand all tests is the
concrete road and the people declared
that from now on the policy of the
island will be to construct roads Of
this nature in expending the money
furnished by the last legislature for
road work. From the current funds
the board of supervisors has decided
| to build the asphalt macadam type.
The paper also declares that the
Hawaii board of supervisors has rec
ognized the cantonnier method of road
maintenance and that from now on
as each new road progresses men will
be stationed to inaugurate this sys-
|