Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-23
engineers
Orders now STOP
CUTTINGOF TREES
Supervisor Hatch Sheds New
and Much Needed Light on
Kapiolani Park Incident

the Spalding Construction Company TO
stop cutting the Kapiolani Park iron
wood trees, temporarily at least, and
statement and questions by Super
visor Hatch, which put entirely new
Bhases on the tTce-cutting incident,
we've important developments today.
When w. T. SpaIding, manager OF
the SpaIding Construction Company,
was seen this morning by Judge
Hatch. who asked him not TO cut the
ironwood trees, Spalding said he had
already received orders from the city
and county engineer not TO cut the
trees and mad no intention OF destroy
ms them.
Judge Hatch, IN a letter to the Star
Bulletin, points out that strip OF
| kapioIani Park has been included in
| the improvement ordinance illegally,
and he asks directly whether the pres
ent situation mas been brought ABOUT
by inadyertence on the part OF the
county attorneys office or by deliber-
ate intent.
His letter is as fellows:
Editor Star-Bullelin.
K \
wood trees near the entrance to kapfo.
liini Park is of great public interest al
TINS moment The situation, as 1
understand 1t, Is as follows:
"A strip OF Kaplolanl Park extends
to the north in front or MaKee Island
/ to the side road, which let US call
i Cunha road, for Identification; the
highway is wholly on the sea side OF
/ the tees. The railroad track is 10
| Gated not on the highway, but in the
park area; this is the case to the ter.
minus near Mr.. Parkers place. This
location was not obtained through any
4 authority from the superintendent OF
public works. IL was a grant from
the park commissioners, and paid for
in part by lighting obligations under
/ taken by the railroad company.
When the ordinance for the crea
ton OF the Improvement district under
| which Kalakaua avenue is being re
built was drafted, this strip of the
park lying between "Cunha road" and
"Menagerie drive" adopting Mr.. Gas
ties useful term, was included in the
ordinance. The attention of the SUI
peryisors was not called to the fact
The measure could not have passed il
i IL had been. Only the Legislature can
authorize "A surrender OF any portion
of the park. It would simply have
4 been a breach of trust for the super
yisors knowingly to have done so.
THE points for consideration are:
.(19 How to correct the mistake
having due regard TO the rights of the
contractor and OF the assessed prop
4 erty owners.
4 "(2.) Was the above situation
brought about through mere inadvert
ence in the county attorneys office
(which we hope), or was it deliberate
" done? This latter inquiry perhaps
has only historical interest
Respectfully,
/ 81. M. HATCH"
comes to the Star-Bulletin from James
Steiner, resident of the improvement
district He says:
Il am an old resident of Waikiki
and love the place dearly. To the
Kalakana avenue frontage tax i'm
provement fund I'm contributing
$1,000 In my opinion, and for the
safety OF the enormous traffic on that
avenue. believe the few ironwood
trees at the bridge breakwater should
be done away with altogether These
few trees are not rare and could easily
be spared as there are many more
close by in the park. Besides, it
would open up beautiful outlook to-
wards Manoa and Palolo valleys and
| the mountains
Meanwhile the Star-Bulletin gets
verbal expressions of opinion from
numerous citizens who say that while
the park trees may have to be cut,
they feel that the city engineer should
spend more time in trying to avoid
the destruction.
The Star Bulletin is informed that
while Rapid Transit officials say they
do not wish to go counter to public
sentiment In cutting down the trees.
at the same time the Rapid Transit
engineer fully upholds the view of
City Engineer Collins that the trees
must be cut. One city official points
out that in effect the Rapid Transit's
attitude is that the trees should be.
,,,&