The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-07-10
THE COFFEE INDUSTRY.

British Commissioner Halves has
furnished the British Government
with a report on Coffee culture in
the Hawaiian Islands, and he has
kindly forwarded the Star copy of
this report and also his regular re-
port upon the Island trade.
The report upon coffee is quite in
teresting. The Commissioner has
evidently made personal observa-
tons upon the subject to some pur-
pose, and he gives very valuable in
formation for any one who thinks
of investing in the business.
AT the outset, Mr.. Halves states
that the coffee industry is yet in its
infancy and is ''in a somewhat ex-
perimental stage" but it has made
great strides in the past FIVE years
and there is every reason to be-
lieve that ultimately the industry
will be placed on sound and profit
able footing" He points out, how
ever, that ".before the end has been
attained, it is not improbable that
several failures and dissapointments
will take place from various causes"
The Commissioner next gives a
sketch of the necessary con itions
under which coffee plantation will
be successful and then deals with
the area available for coffee, which
he estimates at 200, 600 acres, only
one-tenth of which is under cult
walton. The pamphlet deals with
the rainfall, winds, temperature,
soil and so forth in terse and able
sentences.
For labor, the system Of free la
Dor is stated to be the better and the
Commissioner is informed that the
japanese is found to be a steady,
good workman. From the point of
view of the Star the labor on coffee
plantations should be white, and
with small holdings accessible to
white men of small means, a large
amount of labor might be obtained
from among the families, while wait
ing for their venture to come for
ward. The native Hawaiian"
says Commissioner Halves, can
not be recommended, being by some
considered totally unfit as a laborer
on a coffee plantation, as he is most
unreliable, and from his nature
seems to abhor any employment
which demands constant and regu-
lar attendance. This is a hard cut
at the Hawaiian, but there is no
doubt, considerable truth in the
statement. Still, on the sugar plan
tations when Hawaiian labor can
be obtained it is much sought after.
The difficulty is not with the Haw-
allan laborer as laborer, but it'll
the lack OF available material in the
market. The writer knows many
Hawaiians who are Constant and
regular in their attendance" and
have been for years.
Evidently the Commissioner ia
vors the district of Kona, as the
coffee district OF the Islands. He
does not particularize Olaa. The
difficulty is to obtain land in Kona.
In Hamakua there are equally good
opportunities, and the chance of
obtaining land is infinitely greater.
In conclusion the Commissioner
says that in two years there is like
ly to be a general reaction, and
Hawaii as coffee country will
receive temporary check
That will be the proper time for
men DESTROYS of investing to come
in, for lands will be cheap and there
will be the errors and experience of
the past seven years to profit BY"
The appendix to the report con-
tains the chapter on coffee, which
was prepared by the Commissioner
of Agriculture upon the methods
of planting and cultivation of
coffee. This appeared in a pamph-
let of general information upon the
islands, published by the Foreign
Office.
1t is satisfactory to see an un-
biased report upon our coffee in
dustry, and, in the form in which
it has been published, it will doubt
less attract enterprising young men
with capital to our shores.