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STAR-ADVERTISER ARCHIVE
5/5/1969
Lahaina’s Whaling Spree turned into a “hippie holiday” for a while as dozens of the long-haired set got together under the famous banyan tree to sing and play. Their instruments ranged from flutes of every size and shape to guitars and tin cans, which they used for drums. Hundreds of Spreegoers flocked to the area to listen.
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Recalling Maui’s near and distant past, compiled from Honolulu Star-Advertiser archives:
50 years ago …
Maui County Councilman Joe Bulgo says the Easter Sunday love-in at Maui’s Baldwin park was “a desecration of our Hawaiiana.” He urged the Council to support stricter enforcement of state and county laws to “get rid of this particular element” which he said is “over-running your parks.”
“They’re taking over slowly but surely,” Bulgo said, “violating any law in the county, and they say God gave them that privilege to violate every code that we have for clean living.”
Bulgo’s speech made no reference to reports that members of what he identified as “this particular element” on Maui having been harassed and beaten by gangs of local men within the past few weeks. He did say, “I am not involved in harassment. I just want to enforce the laws. The sooner we get the laws enforced, the sooner we will get rid of this particular element.”
The speech was received by the Council in silence.
120 years ago …
The steamer Niihau left Honolulu hurriedly for Lahaina with Dr. Tomizo Katsunuma and P. Metsutome, agent for the Japan Immigration Company of Yoshima on board. These gentlemen went at the request of J.F. Hackfeld to try to settle a strike among the Japanese laborers on Pioneer and adjoining plantations.
Just before leaving Dr. Katsunuma said: “We are going by special boat to Lahaina as there is a strike on the Pioneer and Olowalu plantations involving some 2,000 laborers. I am going over to try and pacify the men. I do not know the cause of the trouble but Mr. Metsutome, who goes with me, thinks the men are angry over the death of some of their countrymen a short time ago.”
A heavy piece of machinery fell, killing three Japanese, one of whom was a woman. Mr Metsutome thinks there was not a proper investigation into the cause of the deaths.