Interview with Kazuhisa Abe (3/19/1991)
Interview with Kazuhisa Abe conducted by Michi Kodama-Nishimoto and Daniel W. Tuttle, Jr. on 3/19/1991 at the Abe residence in Hilo, Hawaiʻi as part of the Hawaiʻi Political History Documentation Project. Former territorial and state senator and justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi discusses his political career spanning the 1940s - 1970s. Topics include: his childhood in Pepeekeo mill camp and the influence of his teacher Ethel Spalding; studying at the University of Hawaiʻi and working for Paul Bachman who encouraged him to pursue a law degree from University of Michigan; serving as the Kohala district magistrate before WWII; running as county supervisor in 1946 and efforts to create a municipal golf course; serving in the Territorial Senate starting in 1952 and efforts to reform the tax system; his support of statehood; his support of the creation of the East West Center and how it reflected a national recognition of Hawaiʻi; being appointed to the Hawaii Supreme Court by Gov. Burns; how his judicial written opinions focus on the individual rights of the majority of the people in Hawaiʻi; his land and water rights judicial opinions; memories of various political figures including Martin Pence, Doc Hill, Herbert Lee, Hebden Porteus, Nelson Doi; and his thoughts on the political future of Hawaiʻi. Interview spans 3 videotapes.
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