The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-02-16
Island correspondence.

Maui, January, 1907
Mn EprToR Another Christmas gone; an
other wear closed - I'm aloat, I'm ailOat -
upon the stream of time-reoicingly sing mil
lions; - I'm ahoat,'' alas : sigh how many that
are sad and weary, Santa Claus, the merry old
saint I perceive by the Commercial, has made
his merry rounds amongst your merry people,
big and little-aud the smaller perhaps the mer-
rier. On Maui he has been about - in spots,
but. .. they sly,'' that lie went from house to
hut looking for the accustomed stocking. and
when urchin after urchin answered - nary stock
ing the old gentleman left in di5ust with such
primitive civilization.
On New Years day the laborers several
plantations on this Island had their feast, but the
day PASSED by far guie;er than is the case IN
Iaraer cities and even IN your metropolis. No
noisy boat-boys stopped our path, levyinS black
mail, bat hearty alDhas " were cheeriully and
gratis extended to all by quiet native popu-
latiOn. And 80 wc have been quietly sliding into
another year. dreaming sombre dreams: soInbre
on New Years eve-helriug again around US the
patter Of little feet that long have been silent :;
seeing loved faces. that long have slept - lonely
and almost forgotten, smiling again through the
rav of light that mOmcutirily parted the veil Of
the misty past and arose New Years morn
ing. having Uisr another milestone on our jpur-
ney. and are -houIdering again the familiar Oid
knapsaek. perhaps a little heavier with some new
care. perhaps a little lighter with some pleasant
houe-but whatever its weight we jog along on
our journey to the precipiee. May our descent
be gentle If the presents distributed by good
old Santa Claus to individuals were but few, the
good old saint gave to this island in general a
most magnificent present. in the shape of two
grand down pourings Of rain that fairly soaked
the thirsty soil and went 10 the root OF - our
prosperity"
The sun sends down his rays, day by day.
flooding valleys and slopes with the most genial
warmth for our tropical productions, but rain l.
the wizard whose magic wand clothes in green
coIors Of life pastures and fields rain is the gem
tie nurse that shelters the young bud and tender
shoot. and tempers the fiery rays of tropic sun
10 the feeble plant Rain fills the thousand veins
that supIly tie crystal spring and the brook
whose power serves to crush the crop OF many
plantations. Rain reminds me strangely enough) }.
of The reply of JIr. Castle to a mere supposition,
mentioned in former letter, that planters IN
creased their crous 70 make up for low prices.
Although the reasoning of Mr.. Castle appears
plausible and logical, nevertheless differ there
from. not in its general application. but in the
application as between these islands and the Cali
fornia market, and | would now say to those
planters that are free from e1cuirGHccs and can
do 50. plant There are those that cannot
and better not Tie rare IS not Arrays IN the
sIrifl, bui 10 the sure5foOfed.
Mr. Castle, from statistical data. argues that
low prices are tie consequence of an oNerstocked
market No doubt; but this mOmentary de-
preston in prices (evcn for one or perhaps two
ycars) j. by 30 means sufficient argument to
come 70 the conclusion that the California mar
ket will remain stationary or cannot keep pace
with the extension Of the sugar interests on these
islands. As many thousand pounds as 1t re-
quirts at present millions supplied the market
Of California fifteen sixteen years ago TX
traordinary means called this market into exis
tence, but VIII any one doubt that there are mean'
at work still that Will double and treble not only
the area of countries that viii need our sugar
but also double and treble the requirements II
tLe next sTace Of fifteen or sixteen years.
The question i not Cor at least in i year Of
two will beJ wee ID the market, but simply