MIXTURE OF RACES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 113, 9 April 1930, Page 7

MIXTURE OF RACES

f LIFE IN HONOLULU. AFFLUENCE AND WEALTH. I “Since my last visit to Honolulu lioine six years ago, there has been a ionsiderable growth in the population ind many fine new business and public Juildings have been erected. The tourist traffic from tho mainland of the United States and Canada is increasing at an amazing rate, largo and commodius passenger steamers arriving knd departing every three or four days in ench week,” stated Mr M. A. Eliott when addressing the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch Club yesterday ifternoon on observations made during lia visit to Hawaii last winter. “Some if these steamers carrv up to about WO >asscngers,” he added, “and, rs in example, tho new liner Malolo, of IP KM) tons, in conjunction with other (teamers, is, practically carrying on a ferry service between San Francisco |r Los Angeles and Honolulu. Then Khere aro the through services to Ja--s|X>nn and China as well as the Qina-Hmn-Australian New Zenland Line. Tho lltoyal Hawaiian Hotel, recently erected nil a cost of over five million dollars, IShows tho confidence of ono of the Shipping lines in an increasing tourist Haziness. flSBM'The inhabitants of Honolulu, white Billow, brown and black, are all keenly ■tfye to tho value of foreign capital in Hfo shapo of the well-lined pockets of Kb travelling public. Consequently, Kays of spending are varied, numerous pnd oven dubious, but at the same time Rheßo are not forced on visitors and ■generally good value is given. The (two chief exports of Hawaii, sugar and Spine apples, have increased at an enormous rate during tho past ten ’years. This means a considerable measure of prosperity to the islands. I did not see any evidences of poverty even in the lowest quarters, but on tho other hand there were numerous and ample signs of widely distributed affluence and wealth. POPULARITY OF POLO. “Polo is one of the most popular games in Honolulu for those who can afford it and rivalry between various teams runs very high, a father and three sons from the Island of Maui being a very hot team. A well-trained polo pony is almost worth its weight in gold an d I heard of fabulous sums having been offered and refused. I visited an establishment on tho other side of the Island of Oahu were the owner, a well-known business man in Honolulu, keeps over 10O_ ponies. These, when not in training, cost about 10s each per week for food, but when being trained for matches this cost mounts up to 40s and over per week. “I was interested in observing an up-to-date method of transplanting large trees. A handsome six-storey new business block had been erected in a main thoroughfaro and between the front of the building and tho inside edge of the footpath there was a space of about 10ft. When I was going past one evening this was bare earth. Next day I was astonished' to see three or four coconut palms over 20ft high growing there. These trees weighed over five tons each and the of transplanting was to place a Mack of grain in the bottom of each Mole, lightly covering this with earth, palm was then planted on top with the roots spread over the sack of |Srain and well watered. The. damp Kusod the grain to heat and this kept ■he roots of the palms warm and they Etarted to grow immediately and .e----■ceived practically little or no cheek, COSMOPOLITAN CENTRE. “The cosmopolitan nature of the inhabitants of Honolulu is shown by tho latest census Returns which are interesting. The total population in the city is 114,630. This is an increase of 1630 in 12 months, the total population of Hawaaiian territory being 357,64/, an increase of 8,880. Europeans number 38,006. Pure declined from 20,720 to 20,479 during the last 12 months: Chinese declined from 25,310 to 25,211 during the last 12 months; Japanese increased from 134,600 to 137,407 during the last 12 mouths; Filipinos increased from 60,0/8 to 63,869 during the last 12 months; Portuguese number 29,717. “Then there are large numbers of Porto Ricans and all the ‘lesser breeds, also the results of intermarriages and crosses of all descriptions. Outside the American Army and Navy of, say 20,000 men, the actual European population is not a large one. Contrary to previously-expressed opinions, it is now felt that the Chinese have definitely established themselves. There are enough young Chinese women of the second and third generation to Replenish the vitality of tho transplanted, race, but the high mortality of. the unmarried males of tie early immigrations still exceeds the births in. some years. . i “The Japanese .are materially increasing in numbers, their birth rate being high. The race, keeps pure, very few mixed marriages taking place, while language, religion and national customs are also being closely maintained. Tho children go to an American school in the morning and to a Japanese school in the afternoon. Shops, offices, stores, etc., employ Japanese boys and girls very extensively. RAVAGES OF INSECTS. “Ono is struck by.the comparative absence of the common house tly, and tins is caused by ah ant which relishes tho Hies’ eggs. T'heso ants also have a great liking for termites or white ants which are the most destructive ‘bugs’ in Hawaii. They are not formidable to look at, but nature has equipped them at the business end with tho most perfect augur in existence. Once they get a start in a building their ravages aro disastrous. “I had the privilege of calling-(by invitation) on the Governor of the Territory of Hawaii, Mr Lawrence H. Judef, and found him in a temporary building as the whole of the interior of tho Government administrative building bad to be torn out and was being replaced owing to the ravages ot termites. These insects require a, damp spot for a jumping off place such as woodwork round a kitchen sink or where an electric light pole touches the ground or some woodwork is m a garden and their tunnels often run tor many yards. They bore these tunnels in the direction of the gram of the timber, three or four working together in one tunnel which is often half ,an inch in diameter. The first sign of trouble is a. slight blistering of the paint and on investigation it l* found that the finger can be pushed into the wood in all directions. . Aflat piece of tin or galvanised iron laid on top of a house block projecting about an inch clear of woodwork all round ia an effective means of prevention ns termites, curiously enough, cannot crawl round the edge of tho iron,' falling off whenever they attempt to do so. But, aspreviously mentioned,,, ants, are very effective to destroying termites’ eggs. DESCENT IN SUBMARINE. “Through the courtesy of an Ameyican naval officer, w© had th©

esting experience of going down m a United States submarine. The bottled energy w too technical for me to describe, but I can understand why small thin men are chosen as members of the crew, particularly as regards the safety valve through which esoape is supposed to be Rosinblo in the event of disaster. Wo visited Wheeler Field from which Kmgsford Smith and •party hopped off on their historic flight jr/im Honolulu to Suva.