Every Sunday, "Back in the Day" looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.

The issue before the city Department of Land Utilization last night was whether the present character of the neighborhood still is for allowing continuation of a variance for a golf driving range in the old Waialae Drive-In movie lot.

Neighbors, continuing arguments begun at a Sept. 24 hearing, want city officials to look also at their worries: dust, stray golf balls and burglar alarm noise emanating from the range.

… Golf range opponents got support from some important people.

State Sen. Steve Cobb pointed to changes in the neighborhood in the years since a variance first was issued for a golf driving range on the site in 1952. …

Cobb said that while there were only 80 houses in the neighborhood in 1952, there "now are 97 single-family dwellings; seven two-family dwellings; 13 multifamily dwellings, not counting some townhouses; two service stations; a restaurant; a bank; two churches; and two day-care centers.

In a letter, City Councilman Leigh-Wai Doo noted that the neighborhood had changed. He also complained about poor maintenance, light shining into apartments, and dust and dirt problems.

Henry Iwasa, chairman of Kaimuki Neighborhood Board #4, said that when open markets were conducted without departmental blessings for a time on the theater grounds, "this ended the variance."

Kashiwai said he was willing to put sand on the grassless area to cut down on dust; be willing to use shorter-range iron clubs; to put in larger shank boards to stop the flight of golf balls out of the area; and to have golfers sign out golf balls.

… Kashiwai, president of S.Y. Corp., which operates the driving range, and the corporation’s attorney, William Lawson, presented a petition signed by 1,600 customers telling of its value to them and its safe operation.

Former U.S. Sen. Hiram Fong, board chairman for Ocean View Cemetery Ltd., and applicant for the variance continuance, said that if the department counted his board members and the petitioners, the majority favored his side.

The land utilization department will issue a decision within 30 days.