The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-06-24

IRRIGATION.
1t is singular that with the spirit of enterprise
evinced in many other directions there should
have been SO little notice taken of one of the
most important subjects that could possibly
engage the attention of those eager not only for
their own advancement but for the development
of the resources of the country, whereby
national as we'll as individual benefit, would be
enhanced. We refer to the subject of irrigation,
which, in the hands of an intelligent and active
administration, might be made to shower
blessings upon the country and its inhabitants
before unknown and in places which are now
only noted for their waste and barren condition, >
fertility of production in many branches of
agricultural industry might be created instead.
But in this matter We seem satisfied to plod
along a beaten track without the spirit or
energy to roll ourselves out of the existing
groove, content perhaps with the thought that
all things continue as they were from the
beginning" Many times have we thought of the
idle and wasteful policy of the government in
this matter, which at this time in particular, is
especially reprehensible. Knowing as they do
that to the culture of sugar, we look as our
mainstay, we should think that all the channels
through which the desired end is to be reached
the conversion of all arabic land to the growth
of cane-would long ago have been ransacked,
and where possible, made available.
Between the beaches of Kahului, and those Of
Maalaea and Kalepolepo lies a vast expanse of
level land, forming an isthmus connecting east
and west Maui, which as it exists, is fit for
nothing except the pasturage of animals and In
some places not even fit for that, owing to an
entire destitution of water supply. The area of
this land is perhaps not less than fifty thousand
acres, and capable, if irrigated, of producing
many thousand tons of sugar. Most of this land
belongs to government, and if the spirit Of
enterprise were rife among those in authority,
this whole plain could be turned into a garden,
for there is abundance of water running to waste
upon the highlands of Haleakala amply sufficient
if utilized for this purpose to supply the entire
tract. The subject of irrigating this plain has
been more than once brought forward for
consideration, but no thorough Investigations
have been ~diyulged. if they have ever been made,
as to the best means of bringing down this
waste water on to it. or the probable expense
that would accrue, although the feasibility of
the project is not to be doubted. During the
reign of Kamehameha ", some Investigations
were said to have been made, but as to their
nature or comprehensiveness the public were
allowed to remain in the dark, or be satisfied
with the dicta of his imperious ministry, that
the engineering would be too costly and the
whole affair too ponderous to be handled by the
government. The Minister of Interior, we
understand, made the assertion that the cost
would not fall short of 5000, 900 but upon
what basis his calculations were made, We are at
a loss to know. We are informed by others,
whom we think equally competent to judge,
that the cost would fall far short of this figure
but allowing that it would not, even then it
would most surely prove a paying investment, as
who in search of sugar land would not be willing
to pay $25 or $50 an acre for we'll watered
land Such a price would be no price at all,
but still at these figures placed p~urposely low,
there would be an abundant profit, leaving aside
altogether the consideration of the benefit to be
derived to the country from the increase of
Industry that would be attendant upon the
cultivation of so large an area-now unremun-
e~rative.
This is certainly one of our first and greatest
needs, and with reciprocity to back US there
would be no fear of the result. But what should
be done at once is, to pass laws allowing the
government to appropriate so much OF lands
intervening, as would be necessary to carry out
the project without regard to ownership, or
otherwise demands so exorbitant as TO Illustrate
the scheme, might be made by those. owning
these lands should the experiment be seriously
thought Of. Such legislation could be very
Justly excused upon the plea of benefits that
would be common to all.
we have heard of a suggestion to irrigate this
plain, or a part of il, by water derived from the
streams of Waiehu and Waihee, much of whose
water now runs TO waste, but whether such a
scheme would be more feasible, or less expensive,
than that before mentioned, it would be difficult
' upon tl'o say,
preparations of Kauai again, there is an
"lIS ana ate tract of land known as the
e upon their Is" similarly circunssancei as
W Wo T,ei5 gusupply. This plain, as Sss keip
OOiliL versed in the culture Of Sugar,
Ln;iIi"p "PtIo nder cultivation of supprting
IIT"T' hGl iore plantations, but for Yant1
Honolulu Harbor, has been raised -,
unnecessary.,g Of this nlain, runs one
IN the Wharves DE- ,ha Is,apds .mntr I,e
appropriation of so. of water into the sea
to Your Committee r the river. and enterven
from wharfage for the = g ite en!ir
rger part of which was con- in case h,
tee do not desire to discuss authorized
in the Budget. and into the ,