The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-05
DOLE IN
DETAIL
Short Hand Report
of Committee
Hearing,
THE GOVERNORS
EXPLICIT TESTIMONY
Complete and UnsarbIed Extracts
From the Official Report Of
the Committee.

! viii ask you now. Governor. 20 lost
ut House bill 1897. entitled AN act
granting TO the Hawaii Ditch Com
psny. Limited. the right Of way ovei
public lands In the districts Of North
and South Kohaia." etc. and give US
the benefit Of any observations you may
care 90 make on that measure II has
psssed the House. and has been sent TO
this committee
Governor Doie-T think Mr.. Hitch
cock sent you n letter on that subject.
did he not7
The Chairman-He did
Governor Dole-That letter contains.
mainly. my points Of objection II IL a
complicated matter. There are some
private interests which are affected:
but how much we can not tell IL IL
very hard to tell. from the present In
formation
We object TO the bill because. accord
ing To the last rulings Of the Interior
Department. the Territory has full con-
troll Of this matter: and IL seems to BE-
establishing an unfortunate precedent
TO have Congress Tegisiate In matters
Of local concern. where tiIe local gov
eminent has full authority. It would
encourage constant applications TO Con-
xre~s In local matters by people who
bsve private interests To subserve- We
should be sorry to have that practice
become regular.
Asother objection 10 that the descrip-
tion Of the watershed 10 vague and very
difficult To understand. even by one
who is somewhat acquainted with the
locality. as I am. n II too vague TO
serve as q basis for 50 important n
franchise.
Another objection Is that there IL no
provision for any revenue 10 the Ter
rftory and no provision for any pro-
lection to forests The summit OF this
mountain - a natural reservoir OF great
value. In that the rain IL constant: the
soil Is fun OF water. and gives out the
water gradually. 50 that streams VIII
run all through the year. even through
severe droughts. II any company
xrOuId ditch IL or Tunnel II In such a
way as TO drain out this water rap
idly II would probably cause a very
radical change. The trees would change
fe character and perhaps die out. and
be succeeded by grass or something
that would not do the work: the waters
would be led OF rapidly and drousnts
would be Injurious 10 the streams. and /
probably some OF them would run dry.
The company has offered TO agree |
that N this bill passes IL will rely on
the Territorial Government for all
water rights In the matter. and will
negotiate with 10 and assent to all
proper guarantees The company de- Il
sIred that I should withdraw my oppo-
sitiou on such a basis. and 7 have con-
sidered the matter very carefully: but
1 think the fact of IegisIating on this
subject In Congress Is a very strong
q objection II II impossible for Congress
to be posted In regard to the details OF
= matter like this. II II a private spec
-. a. fa.A f.sF- i
ter in the Islands than here.
How far-reaching these private In
t@rests are u uncertain This u a copy
Of a paper written by Mr. Tuttle. who
i water engineer Of the Bishop Mu-
.-um Estate. I am a trustee Of one of
these estates. These water measure
ruents have been made with extreme
nteety and care for long periods. cover
ing months at n time in dry weather.
! viii not take up your time by read
IaS this paper to you. but i viii leave
t here.
The Cnairrnan-The stenographer will
IL In the report OF your t@s-
iimony.
eT-hc paper referred to Is "a fOiiOwsD
rs the Board OF Trustees OF the u. +.
Rfahop Estate and r. Il. Bishop Au-
-~uru. Honolulu
g.. utfernen: From an article IN the
.rorninS paper I learn that n osJ has
.,st passed the United States House
y Representatives granting the nsces-
.ry lands and right OF way % cor
ration for the purpose OF construct
n of a ditch line. reservoirs. etc. to
~-d the water supply from a portion
= the Rohala Mountains into koha't
"a Tfarratua for an irrigation project
An described In the act. the water
hed 10 be drawn from would Include
h~ headwaters OF the Kawainui. the
1ast westerly and main branch OF the
vnipIo River. and all the Honoka ne !
,-~s,r. n would also appear from '
y. t~xt Of tn. bill that the proposed
.afsr diversion wouif be iegaiizsJ en- z
.ftsout compensation Co riparian own
- rot making an actual use % tie
uppIy Ne the present tim.
=. - --.---....aLnr, nf Tru.t.e u. ~ y y