MOTOR touring in Hawaii by visitors from the United States, many of whom ship their cars from this city or San Francsico, has been steadily increasing in recent years and the Honolulu Automobile Club is preparing plans for the erection of a new building which will increase facilities for visiting motorists. The new structure will be erected on the waterfront, on the site of what was the old custom house in the days of the monarchy.

Other additional facilities which will soon be available for motorist and tourist in general bound for the Hawaiian Islands will be the new steamer Malolo, meaning flying fish in the Hawaiian language, and the completion of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, now under construction at Waikiki Beach. It is expected that the hotel will be opened in February and the new steamer will go into service during the spring.

The Malolo is nearing completion at the Cramps' shipyard, Philadelphia. The new boat will be 582 feet in length, with a displacement of 22,000 tons, beam of 83 feet and speed of 22 knots. There will be accomodations for 600 first-class passengers. The builders announce that the Malolo will cut the time for the round trip between San Francisco and Honolulu by two days.

Special provision will be made for the convenience of passengers desiring to take their automobiles. It will be possible to take the car on board uncrated, and after landing the car can be taken off the boat with little delay.

The site of the new hotel is in the midst of a grove of stately palms once sacred to the Hawaiian rulers, while near by are the ruins of an ancient temple where human sacrifices were once offere to the native gods.

The grounds will be planted with plants and shrubs drawn from all the islands of the archipelago, making up a natural arboretum for the entire territory. The walls and ceilings of the structure will be painted in designs taken from the native temples and places.

The Honolulu Automobile Club has recently formulated plans to assist visiting motorists in every possible way. A representative of the club meets incoming boats, and without charge he will see that the car is unloaded, that the windshield and top are set up, that it is oiled and greased, and the tank is filled with gasoline. He also assists in obtaining the privilege of a ninety-day use of the island highways without the payment of tax.

The Honolulu Automobile Club has been instrumental in securing the construction of many miles of good roads which wind through magnificent tropical foliage, or are flung at dizzy heights across the precipitous slopes of volcanic mountains. The principal highways on Oahu are the “Round the Island Road” which follows the coastline around the island, and the Pali Road, bisecting the island from Honolulu on the leeward side to the windward coast.

There is a good road around the island of Hawaii, the home of Kilauea, the world's largest active volcano. Excellent highways lead to the volcano from Hilo, the chief port. Good roads are also a feature of the Island of Maui, where the crater of Haleakala, “The House of the Sun,” no longer spouts fire, but still offers a spectacle of sublime grandeur.