Wa I Hala: from the files of The Garden Island

39 Years AgoFrom the June 28, 1961 issue

FRUIT STAMPEDE – A mild stampede for plums shortly before the official

opening time at 6 a.m. opened Kaua’i’s plum-picking season. The usual big rush

was missing this year, however. Approximately 1,000 people were on hand Sunday

morning, most of the group were teenagers instead of families as in previous

years.

..The lineup began about 6 p.m. Saturday evening as usual, however.

Impatient pickers waiting on the fringe of the park started off for the plums

without waiting for the guides and this caused the stampede, Mr. Nitani

said.

DEAD WHALE – The dead whale, washed up on the beach on the

northern outskirts of Kapa’a town, was disposed of by county workers Sunday

morning almost before most of the people there realized there was a new whale

disposal problem.

County Engineer Calvin Ching pointed out that the matter

had been handled so well, expenses were kept at a minimum and there was not

time for people to complain.

Mr. Ching said the whale was described as

being about equal in size to the other sperm whale which came ashore on the

point below the old Kaiakea preventorium in April.

GOING HOLLYWOOD –

The filming of “Seven Women” is almost completed and if all goes well the

company should be pau on Friday. Up to yesterday everything was right on

schedule which is quite unusual for motion picture production.

Yesterday

there were some shots still to be done on the Wailua River. However, the early

morning showers, caused a change in plans and the company moved indoors to the

former Lazenby residence next to Coco Palms. This is the setting for the home

of the planter in the story.

MOIR’S FURNITURE – The furnishings for

the interiors of the planter’s home proved no problem. There is no question

that Duncan Cramer, the art director had his doubts at the beginning. However,

he was able to make the necessary contacts and he came up with an interior set

for the planter’s home, that pleased him no end. His contact proved to be Sandy

and Hector Moir, so when you see the picture and you think you recognize the

furnishings, you will be correct. Most of them will be Sandy and

Hector’s.

FERN’S LAW – It can be said here that the progress made

during the filming of “Seven Women” is directly contrary to what is known

around The Garden Island as Fern’s Law which is “If Anything Can Go Wrong, It

Will.”

KAUA’I’S HERMIT- The expected visit of Henry Wheatly, to his

brother Dr. Bernard Wheatly, the hermit of Kalalau, did not come off yesterday.

Henry Wheatly, of the Virgin islands is in Hawaii attending the Governors’

conference as a member of the staff of the Governor of the Virgin

islands.

He phoned the Kaua’i police on Monday asking for details as to how

to see his brother. He was told that it required a six hour hike into Kalalau.

This did not seem to bother him at the time. He said that he would arrive on

the first plane with a friend and would visit his brother.

POETIC PLEA

– County Chairman Aki turned to poetry in calling upon the community for

cooperation in conducting a Clean Up Week for Kaua’i.

The proclamation

resorted to colorful language in stating its case. It said in part:

“Kaua’i

… where nature has gifted with blue skies and hills of green, where streams

and rivulets wander along its dales and valleys on their leisurely way to the

azure sea;

“Kaua’i … where the sun, the wind, the rain have joined to

plant a garden of green embraced and a lei of golden said;

“Kaua’i .,..

where amidst Nature’s abundant grace too often we see the litter and trash of

unthinking man, where the artifacts of the 20th century beer cans and pop

bottles and tons of paper despoil nature’s masterpiece to the shame of our

people and the disappointment of our guests.”

80 Years Ago

From

the June 29, 1920 issue

LIFE IMPROVING – D.S. Bowman, general welfare

superintendent for the H.S.P.A. has been spending a week or more on the island

in the interest of welfare work among the Plantations here.

He reports

steady improvement all along the line in the essential features of plantation

welfare and comfort. The homes are better, the sanitary conditions more nearly

ideal, more interest is being taken in recreation and better facilities are

being offered therefor.

The remodeling of the camps on a large plantation

is a big undertaking, which cannot be done in a few weeks or a few months,

especially in conjunction with the hundred and one other things that must be

done on a plantation. But all the places are moving in the right direction, and

a very commendable and intelligent interest is being shown in all such

matters.

WRONG ISLAND – The missing Maui sampan, reported by the

Advertiser as having landed on Kaua’i, “near Lihu’e,” it now transpires drifted

ashore on the far side of Ni’ihau. This is a long way from Lihu’e. The

unfortunate men made their way to the Robinson ranch house, whence they were

given transportation to Waimea, where they caught the Kinau for

Honolulu.

The reporter who gathered up the story for the Honolulu papers

was evidently very “short on” Hawaiian geography.

LEISURE TIME – A

fine new club house is being built at Camp 2, one of Makaweli Plantation’s

largest camps, to take the place of the one recently remodeled and which was

found entirely too small. The new club house when completed will be 30 x 42

with plenty of windows and an opening covered with screening, around the

building under the eves to insure sufficient light and air. It will be equipped

with two pool tables, writing tables, a phonograph and a counter to buy smokes

and candles.

FALLING DOWN – The Nawiliwili wooden bridge is in bad

shape. It will be a relief when it has been replaced by a good new concrete

structure, work on which will commence shortly.

OVERLOAD – There has

been an enormous congestion of freight piling in at Nawiliwili during the last

two or three trips of the Kinau. It was largely the accumulation from back

trips during the strike.

HORSE PLAY – Saturday, July 3rd will be a big

day at Waipouli race track. The morning will be devoted to horse races, of

which a splendid program has been arranged.

In the afternoon there will be

a polo game between the Reds and the Blues. These teams have been practicing

for several months and are capable of putting up a fast

game.

ABUNDANCE OF BOOZE – At the last meeting of the Kaua’i Chamber

of Commerce there was emphatic and forcible complaint against the shocking and

disgraceful prevalence of illegitimate liquor throughout the Island of Kaua’i.

In the opinion of responsible members of prominent position and special

facilities for knowing, the conditions are worse now under Prohibition than

they were under the license system.

ANOTHER EVIL – … emphatic and

indignant protest was voiced by several responsible members in regard to the

character of the Sunday evening moving picture shows given throughout the

Island. These complaints met with the confirmation of the meeting and the

consensus of opinion was that something must be done to remedy the

evil.

Attention was called to the fact that the Sunday evening concession

was granted with the express understanding that the pictures should be of an

Educational, Biblical or Moral nature. As a matter of fact, few if any of the

pictures, shown on Sundays comply at all with these requirements and many of

them far from being moral are not even decent. They are, many of them,

sensational, suggestive, vicious and degrading, not fit for any popular

audience at any time and assuredly not fit for a Sunday evening

exhibition.

66 Years Ago

From the June 19, 1934

issue

HILLS AND VALLEYS – There is no doubt that the action of the

board of supervisors at their last meeting to eliminate all the bumps and dips

between Kekaha and Hanalei will be rescinded at their meeting tomorrow as three

members of the board, Dr. S.Y. Chang, Nick Akana and John B. Fernandes have

pledged that they will reconsider their action tomorrow. Since the board took

this action two weeks ago, protests have been voiced al over the island and the

work of the county laborers in filling out the dips and taking out the bumps

was met with wide disapproval.

LARGEST SO FAR – CLASS OF 1934 –

Fifty-four students were graduated from Kekaha School last Thursday evening at

their exercises held in the Kekaha Theatre. This was the largest graduating

class so far in the history of the school.

IN BLOOM – Lihu’e’s corner

rose garden which was planted five months ago, has made surprising progress to

the present time. The roses have bloomed freely and although the gardeners have

found indications of aphids and blackspot, the plants are generally healthy …

The roses are being cared for by the members of the Garden Section of the

Mokihana Club of Lihue.