The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-01-15
ROADS.

NiNlilS dNlNlCt W lne DOulneTn states
the Philadelphia Press says: "To at
tract immigration the South must inn
prove its roads" There never was bet
ter advice, and it is to be hoped that
the Southern States that need it will
carefully lay it to heart. What is true
of the Southern States is just as true
of the Hawaiian Islands. We want to
attract immigration to our shores and
there is nothing that is more import
ant to us that the Improvement of
our roads.
In this respect the present govern
ment has done more than any of its
predecessors, and yet there is much
left to be done. Exactly how much
has been spent on the various roads
we shall soon know in detail, but the
appropriations have been pretty well
exhausted. The work laid out by the
last Legislature has been pretty near
ly carried out in it's entirety.
On Hawaii a system of main road
has been carried out which nearly en-
circles the Island. This has been
great boon and has helped wonderful
ly in the development of the lands. 1t
may safely be said that it would have
been impossible to develop the Konas
had it not been for the roads. The
Olaa district would never have been
settled had it not been for Thurston's
Volcano road, and to carry that out
he received abuse enough to have
daunted a less able and less determine
ed man. The effect of the road was
not felt Immediately, but it finally Gre
ated boom, and upon that boom the
town of Hilo has gone forward in two
or three years more than it did in half
century before. The effect on Puma
was to raise the population 1925 per
cent, and there has been no stagna-
ton or back wash. The Hilo and the
Puma districts keep on steadily in
creasing in population, and new blood
is constantly taking up more land, us
long as land can be found to take up.
VA -h"ti tit Stilht IIDlltN Is DtlllS
carried out. Roads through the Kula
have been made, there is now driv-
ing road from Wailuku to .4ahaina,
where formerly there was but noun
tain trail, and now an effort is to be
made to get a road to the Nahiku cof-
fee lands. The richness OF the Koolau
district of Maui is known only to IA
very few. There is an abundant, one
may say an ineXhaustibie water sup
ply. 1t is from the streams of MOO
lau that the cane fields of Spreck-
elsville, Hamakuapoko, Haiku and Paia
are watered. The vivifying fluid is
carried miles upon miles in pipes and
open fumes, rushing down one side
of gulch and climbing the next I'M
til it is spread upon the thirsty soil
soil and sun-baked earth. And though
thousands of acres are thus irrigated
and made fertile, the deep mountain
streams do not seem to have diminish
ed one particle, nor have the frequent
waterfalls shrunk in size, but go
crashing on as they have done for
ages.
The Kooau of Maui only needs roads
to make it support large ropuia-
ton. The soil is rich, and there are
thousands of acres of it. With good
roads the most desirable class of set
tiers would come in, and instead of the
wilderness of tangled forest which
now meets the eye, hundreds of smil-
. ing homes might be seen.
The government, in estimating the
financial needs of the country, cannot
be too lavish upon country roads
which open up lands for settlement
and cultivation Such roads are the
true arteries which keep the life
blood of the country flowing. They are
among the most important public i'm
provements which can be given atten-
ton. Give good roads and convenient
landings, and, like pressing the button,
the population will do the rest.
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