The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-07

from personal knowledge, your commit
tee is prepared to say that there are in
dividuals and corporations in Hawaii
which do far more in this matter of for
est preservation than does the Govern
ment itself. 1t may be true that self
interest prompts the doing; this, however.
does not detract one iota from the pub
lic-spiritedness and far-sightedness of the
0oer. and should yield an incentive to the
Government to go and do likewise We
commend the work of HI. p. Baldwin on
Maui and of the Lihue plantation on Ka-
uai, as being of a character to warrant
mention in this connection Both have
spent large sums of money in forest ex-
tensions and their efforts are in vivid
contrast with those of the Government.
From newspaper reports and statements
of those conS ersant with conditions on
the Mainland. your committee is led tc
believe that before the next session of
the Legislature TIE home Government
will have made extended inquiry and ex-
animation into the subject of forest pres
ervation in this country. Forest preser-
walton and extension and water for irri-
cation have a most intimate relation the
one to the other. Forests undoubtedly
are necessary to the determination of
rainfall and of holding waters in sus-
pense in reserve, which would otherwise
rapidly seek their way to the sea. The
preservation and storage of such waters
on the other hand, to the end that they
may be utilized for agricultural pur-
poses should be made source of reve-
, nue. to the Government The return
! from the use of waters should be suffi-
cient to pay all the expenses of forest
I extensions and preservation. Your COM
rpittee believes that the result of the in
| quiry by the United States Governments
experts into the local situation Will re-
solve itself into solution of the ques-
ton on the lines here suggested.
While foreign to the subject of fores-
try, yet intimately connected Herewith,
your committee wishes to theoretically
enter its protest against the practice
that is being inaugurated here of tun-
neling into the mountains in order to in
crease the yield of water from Mother
Earth. In every case where such opera
tons are resorted to in a mountain or
foothil situation, there can be but one
result: the waters held in suspension ard
oftimes forming a marshy condition of
the soil under natural conditions, will,
when a tunnel pierces the strata below
them permit the rapid drainage by per-
collation., of this water held in suspen-
sion, with the gradual result of set
ting and packing of the formerly spongy
mass, IN TURN causing d gradual
ton of the supply of water at the tun-
mel orifice, and change in the surface
condition of the land. The result is
that the water instead of finding its way
into the soil is carried off by surface
drainage. causing in their turn erosions
and waste of valuable soil. to say moth
ing of the final destruction of the for
ests over the area so drained. thus once
again proving the force of the tabled
adEge that the goose that lays the gold
en- egg may be killed.
In conclusion we suggest that trans
fer be made of the appropriations for
public grounds and SO forth to the De-
partment Oh Public Works. and that they
be voted as requested.
Respectfully submitted.
JOHN X. PRENDERGAST
WILLIAM MOSSMAN, Jr.
We include in this accommodation the
dispensing with the items IN the esti-
mates of appropriations follows:
Pay of Commissioner ......... 81, 200
PAY of Gardener . 2.040
Pay Of Laborer Tantalus new -. 432
Pay OF Laborers in Nursery (three
menl ........................... L. 96
Pay OF Laborer ..............-.... 52S
Also the changes in the Incident
ais, materials tools. supplies, etc,
rof,, II