The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-22

the Premier at Parliament House.
Among the small party present were
several Ministers, including Mr.. Chata-
way minister for Agricultural, and a
few representative sugar men. At the
conclusion of the function DIR. Maxwell
very courteously gave few minutes to
a representative of this journal. and
during the course of the conversation
he made some observations which will
be OF particular interest at the present
time.
obviously, DR.. Maxwell refrained
from touching on matters which come
under consideration in his report,
which will be handed to the Minister
IN day or so. On one phase of the
industry, however, the visitor spoke
unreservedly. L find,' said he. in an
swer to a question, that your sugar
industry Is very much in the hands
or the small farmer, since mosL of the
large estates have been cut up into
small tracts, and farmer is placed on
each one of these. This is a very i'm
portant consideration, because, as sugar
is made in the field, then the actual
future of the sugar industry is devolv-
ing upon number of small farmers.
IN whose hands the former larger
estates have, with Government aid.
been placed. In one respect this is
very unique situation, and one or great
possible strength, not only to the in
dustry, but to the State, since the
greater number of men in whose hands
the industry has been placed, the
broader is its basis of security.
From these facts, however, it is
seen that it is very important-or in
the first place important-that the
farmers, if they do not already under
stand the treatment of soil and the
growing of the cane by the most recent
methods, should be taught 1t. AS
matter of fact, | have found that the
standard of knowledge in the field is
low. Many of the men understand
what may be called general farming,
but they have not been taught the
broad principles of cane agriculture;
and many of the small farmers are not
agrieulturists at all, and are absolutely
dependent for their protection and sue
cess on some direction from outside.
1t Is admitted on all hands by the
growers of cane that the production
that is to say, the fertility-of the soil,
IN all the districts, has been, and is
still decreasing. Now, if this goes on
until all the districts where cane is be-
ing grown are reduced to condition
such as may be found in some parts
OF Mackay and in some of the older
sugar-growing centres, we can easily
foresee what the end will be; and in
my report l shall have to point out the
immediate necessity for the adoption of
means by which the most modern
methods in the agriculture of cane shall
be produced and followed.
AS a matter of fact, l have found
soils which by nature have been as
rich and are as well adapted to sugar
production as any soils seen in other
countries, but even the good soils in
the pest district have fallen off very
largely in their productive power. Now.
this is the very pivot of the situation.
The sugar is made, as l have said in
the field, and not in the mill. The pro-
duction of sugar in the field is in the
hands of great number of sensible
working, and intelligent farmers:
but they are men who have not had
special training in sugar-growing, and
it is Immediately required that means
shall be initiated whereby the special
knowledge of which they are in need
shall be furnished to them. In this
way, not only will the farmers them
selves improve their position, but the
industry as whole will be strengthen
ed. AS for the mill or the manufacture
of sugar, it is not necessary at this
time to say much. Increase the pro-
ductiveness of the soil to what it was
originally, and there will be no trou-
bic in taking care of the product in
the mills
Then, in brief, DR.. Maxwell, what
do you think of the local situation?"
Well, as I have already said, the
natural capabilities and conditions for
the production Of sugar are here; but,
owing to want of specific knowledge,
and especially along the lines of cane
agriculture, these natural advantages
have been very much reduced, and, in
fact, abused, and it will not only re-
quire the introduction of the best ex-