The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-09-24
CUTS DOWN
ITS LICENSE
KOhaIa Water Plan
Restricted After
Discussion.
! FrER a long session. durln

A FTER long session. during
~ which there was more or less of
acrimonious debate. the EXecu-
tive Council passed over the matter of
the license for the gathering of the
waters Of the kDhala mountain, for
further discussion next week. The
most tangible result of the discussion
was the amendment of the application
for the license, to exclude the Puukapu
sources, which practically confines the
application to the districts between
the Waipio and Honokena valleys, and
the sea.
The meeting was well attended by
those interested in the disposition Of
the waters of the mountain. Besides
the members of the council now in the
city, there were in attendance ]. Q. w.
Jones and his attorneys, Ballou & Nc
Clanahan; F. M. Swanzy. of II. II. Da-
vies & Co., with T.. A. Mott Smith as
counsel; ]. b. Anterior. for Castle &
Cooke; Attorney Holmes and F. s..
Dodge, for the Bishop Estate and
Bishop Museum; F. M. Hatch, for
Samuel Parker; Frank and Palmer
Woods, for the Woods estate; ]. S.
Low. for Hind. Rolph & Co, and Hawi
mill, and Prof. Curtis J. Lyons, of the
survey department, who was present
on account of his technical knowledge
Of the entire district in question.
When the meeting opened Governor
Dole explained that he was interested
only In the conservation of the waters,
and said that he was very much con-
cerned in the matter, as he was thor
oughly in favor of the collection of
the water and its being taken upon
the lands where it was needed. He
said he was giving the problem ali his
attention.
Owing to the absence of information
on the part of the Kohala people,
there were only general objections
made from the northern end of Hawaii.
though all those present said that they
were anxious to learn all about the
plans of the promoters. Colonel Jones
was asked specifically who was be-
hind him in the enterprise, and re-
sponded that there was sufficient mon
ey to guarantee the rapid completion
of the project, but did not give any
names. At another time he stated that
his company had already expended
some $1,000 in their surveys of the
mountain and the districts about it,
When Colonel Jones was discussing
the water situation in Puukapu the
Governor called upon Professor Lyons
to state his reasons for holding that
the water of the district should be con-
served for the development Of the ter
ritOry about Waimea. Professor Ly-
ons gave the history of the water
courses in the district about the viii
lage, and showed on the map the
streams which carried the waters
which were collected in the swamps of
the mountain.
He showed that there could be no
water taken from that district which
would not endanger the future of the
lands about the lower levels, and Incl
dentaliy told of the previous surveys,
those Of Lydgate and that which was
made at the instance of Claus Spreck-
els.
Governor Dole asked Mr.. Holmes if
the Bishop Estate was not now engag-
ed In ascertaining the flow of water in
the Waipio Valley for the purpose of
attempting to provide water for the
Hamakua country from that source.
1t was developed that the engineers
Of the estate were now making such
surveys. with that object in view.
The discussion then turned upon the
waters of the table lands on the sea
side of the Waipo Valley, especially
the Muliwai district, which We're stat
ed to be ample for the supply of the
Hamakua district Colonel Jones said
that there was plan of which his
company had knowledge, and had in
vestigated. by which the water could
be taken across the valley. other than
by the use of an inverted syphon, and
which would be very much less cost
ly, and certain OF success.
There developed some opposition to
the plan of taking the water from the
Puukapu district from the people of
the Hamakua side of the Waipio Val
ley, as they have stream which has
its source in the same general district.
There was some talk also that the
Bishop Estate, which owns the valley.
has some rights to water from the
district which now finds its way into
their streams. Both F.. NJ. Swanzy and
]. b. Atherton thought that there
should be some definite information as
to the men who have the money to
put into the plan, SO as to assure the
people of it's ultimate success.
The result OF the discussions was
that the promoters agreed that they
would amend their application so as to
have 1t include only the territory in
cluded in lines drawn from Kohala !
mountain to the heads of the Waipio F.!
and Honokena valleys thus leaving I
out the Puukapu and upper Kawalhae |
districts. With this amendment there ,
seemed to be greater satisfaction on |
the part OF those present, although !
there was the same desire to have In |
formation as to the monied. men In the !
company. 1t was decided that an ,
amended copy of the license should be !
given to the men interested so that 1t ,
might be submitted to the residents |
and business men of the Kohala dis
trict by today's mail, and the meet /
ing of next Monday was planned to
give time for the reception OF reports i
from Hawaii on which action might be /
based.
During the entire meeting there was
not manifested any objection to de- |
OF the water sources of the
but the men who were ask
ing for information seemed intent up
ON the conservation of the sources OF
supply for the upper plateaus. They
were. they said. only anxious that the
be made and no license
granted which was not one which was
to be utilized directly for the
of the water, and not as
an asset to persuade capital to take up
the plan.