The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-07-11
THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
Thirty-ffth Day.
TUESDAY. July 10


The House met at 10 o'clock, the Presi-
dent, Hon. w. R. Castle, in the chair.
Absent: Ministers Green and Thurston
Mobiles Wilder, Dowsett, Jaeger, Smith,
Bailey, Campbell and Wilcox; Reps. Hus-
tace, Dowsett, Kalaukoa, Kauhi, Mcguire,
Gay and Nakaleka. Minutes read and
confirmed.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
Noble Baldwin read the following:
Hon. w. r. Castle, President of the Leg
islature:
Sir-The Finance Committee, to whom
was referred the petition from Hamakua
Hawaii, praying that the Government ap-
propriate $3.50, 900 for the purpose of con-
Quoting the water from the mountain
streams between the Waipio valley and
Kohala, into the district of Hamakua for
the fiuming of cane and other plantation
and farming purposes, have had the mat
ter under careful consideration, and beg
leave to report as follows:
The petition is accompanied by an agree
ment signed by four plantation companies
of Hamakua, in which they severally agree
to pay So, $50 per annum for water to fume
cane, making the total amount of $15, 900,
or per cent on $250,0O0 the amount they
ask the Government to appropriate for this
work. Provided, however, that should
the outlay necessary to furnish the supply
of water needed be less than $250,O00 then
the undersigned should not be bound to
pay more than a rental which would
amount to per cent per annum upon the
actual first cost of obtaining such water
supply.
per cent on the original cost, the Govern
meRt to keep in repair and maintain the
ditch at their own expense, is too low a
rate of charge for the water. The Govern
ment would be obliged to borrow money
Tor this enterprise at per cent, and under
the above terms might not realize, after de-
Quoting the expense of maintaining the
ditch, more than per cent on the invest
ment.
The streams it is proposed to conduct in
ditch into Hamakua are located on
Crown land above the Waipio valley, into
which they flow.
Your committee are satisfied from evil
dence We have, that an ample supply of
water can be obtained for the four planta-
tons who require water for Tuning cane;
also water for other farming purposes.
1t is urged that the Government should
construct and own the ditch, and thus re-
tain control of the water, that it might be
held for the benefit of small farmers whom
it is hoped may be induced to locate in
Hamakua, as we'll as for the benefit of
plantations.
1t is urged that the Government lands of
Hamakua, of which there are sew
eral, might be cut up into homestead lots
and sold to small farmers, who might need
the use of the water, and thus this fertile
region be made productive and prosperous.
The Government has already divided up
700 acres Government land located four or
five miles from the sea, for homestead pur-
poses, which have not yet been taken up.
The portions of Government land avail
able for hOmesteads are mostly on the
slope OF Mauna, above the sugar cane belt,
and are at present forest and grazing lands.
The lower lands are mostly owned or
leased by the plantations, although there
are portions of Government land in the
sugar cane region that might be available
for hOmesteads.
Now, just how much of the Government
land of Hamakua can be brought below a
line of ditch that it will be feasible and
practicable to conduct through Hamakua
is entirely uncertain.
Until a thorough survey of the line of |
ditch is made, showing how much of the |
land available for homesteads lies below it, |
1T will be impossible to determine how ad- |
or advisable it will be for the |
Government to undertake this enterprise, |
and retain the control of the ditch, rather |
than to let the plantations most benefited |
by the ditch have the franchise of the |
water.
Moreover, it will be impossible to esti- |
mate the cost of such ditch till proper |
survey is made.
If it can be shown that such a ditch con- |
trOlled by the Government can be made a |
profitable investment. and matter of pub |
lie benefit, we would recommend that the |
Government undertake the enterprise; but |
as nothing in regard to this can be de- |
termlned till proper survey is made
your committee recommend that a Com
mission be appointed to investigate the |
matter fully, with instructions to have a |
survey made of the natural and feasible |
route of the ditch, to estimate the proba-
ole cost of the same.
To estimate the cost of constructing Ger.
tain natural basins on the slope between
Waimea and Hamakua into storage reser-
VOirs, and the amount of water that may
5huS be stored.
To make an estimate from time to time
II the amount of water in the streams that
may be obtained for said ditch.
To estimate the amount of Government |
and that will lie below said line of ditch;
he nature of these lands, and how much
will make good homestead lots; also, as
certain the number of farmers and other |
classes of people now residing in Hamakua
hat will be benefited by such a ditch.
Said Commission to report at the next
ocular session of the Legislature.
1t will be necessary tor the Legislature
o appropriate, say $4,000, to enable the
Commission to make the necessary sur
'eys Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) H. 2. BALDWIN,
Jos. u. KAwAINUI,
j. ID. PARIS, IT,,
A. S. WILCOX,
H. A. WIDEMANN.
The report was adopted.
Rep. f. Brown reported bill printed