The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-11-15
PRIORITY OF PROJECTS

AT the last meeting of the Chamber of Commerce there were
read letters from the governor to county officials and from the
county in reply in regard to the projects that might be taken under
loan fund appropriations of the last Legislature. The governor i'll
quired whether Maui interests were inclined to subscribe to issues
of bonds for any of the purposes and it was for that reason the
correspondence was submitted to the Chamber.
While the letters were submitted to the legislative committee
which will not report for a month it is a safe forecast that the
Chamber will not agree with county officials on relative Importance
of projects. The reply to the governor placed them in the follow
ing order: Makawao water system, $4,000; new county building,
100000; Kuiaha road, $4,000 and extension of belt road toward
Hama, 100000.
AS to the relative Importance of a county building a S compared
with road construction it is hard to see how county officials placed
such a project to the fore. In the matter of Kuiaha road, for
instance, there is a project which has hung in allegiance too long
1t is road improvements that will enable the marketing of pine
apple crops at the canneries. 1t is generally recognized that while
the drought has been costly to the sugar industry for several years
past it has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars to pineapple
growers Should there come rains in that section of Maui at the
pine moving period, roads would be impossible and the crop would
spoil before it could reach the packers, if not all the crop, at least
an important part. The canneries and the banks loan to the land
owners and the planters and a loss of crop means financial loss all
the way around, reaching DON to the small businessman IN the
outlying districts.
In regard to the extension of the belt road, much can be said
in its favor. There is no use at this time in repeating the arguments
in favor of connecting up with roads the Hama end of the Island
with Central Maui and its larger population, no occasion to again
mention the large amount of rich agricultural lands that would
be made available for use were there roads out and the correspond
ing increase in taxable wealth and resources of Maui. 1t is one of
the big projects this county has and it means, when completed, a
further linking together of all parts of Maui in a closer community,
a further uniting of interests and enhancement of the Maui spirit
of solidarity, and a valuable tourist asset.
Just what is to be gained by building a home for the county
offices at this time is not clear. The county is not paying heavy
rents for offices. 1t must be granted that some of the buildings
now in use re ~dnapidated and vertable eyesores but no financial
loss would be entailed in waiting until money is easier TO start
that project nor will there be a financial gain resulting from it's
being put through. Therein it differs from the two road building
projects mentioned.
Action of the Chamber of Commerce should be such as will
set matters straight before the governor and the territorial treas
urer, that the letter sent by the county does not reflect the views
of the chamber nor of the taxpayers of Maui generally. The cham
Der cannot complain that one has been put over on them,' for
several times the governor has suggested to members that it would
be well for Maui business interests to tell him their needs and
there have been remarks to that effect at meetings of the chamber
of commerce. So it will be well to set the subject in a correct
light speedily and to inform the territorial government of popular
feeling on the subject.
This paper puts good roads first and far ahead of a new county
building.