The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-08-19
Complete External and Internal Treatment for E'sy Humou

usual underground Of ferns. Ie-le vine,
and other vegetation typical of the for
est, at this elevation The land is
about three miles from the government
road. over earth roads belonging to
the plantation.
The applicants for the land are a set
Element associations headed by Mr.. j.
b. Oliver, Formerly Oliviera), and con-
sisting of ten Portuguese. two Hawa-
iians and two Americans. They have
been petitioning the Government for
the last four years.
If the tract is opened they expect to
clear the land and raise cane as their
principal crop although other things
VIII also be tried Mr.. Oliver stated
that the people intended to make their
homes on the land and that they would
comply with all the regulations.
OPPOSITION TO HOMESTEADS.
The managers of the Plantations of
Honomu. Pepeekeo and Hakalau are
all opposed to the opening of this land
for homestead purposes. arguing that
to clear it would endanger the sources
of their water supply. AS the Hakalau
water head is at or above the 1S00-foot
contour and as Pepeekeo draws its wa
ter from Waiaama stream not on the
land of Honomu at all, the direct in
terest of these two plantations, In the
Honomu tract may be disregarded.
With Honomu plantation the case is
somewhat different. While drawing
most of its water from kolekole, the
Paheehee and Honomu streams-which
rise above the proposed homestead area
and the springs below the forest the
plantation also gets some water from
intermittent springs and brooas upon
which the forest of the proposed home
stead area doubtless has an influence.
at least for part of the year But as
most of the water both in the streams
and the springs, must come from much
farther up the mountain where the pre-
cipitation is heaviest. the relative i'm
portance of the forest on the strip de-
sired for settlement Is not as great as
might at first sight appear. Indeed if
suitable restrictions as to clearing of
this land We're enforced, the actual loss
of available water would probably be
very slight.
HOMESTEADS AND FORESTRY.
The question brought up by this case
is one which will confront the Board
in many instances, and IL an issue
which must be squarely met. In con-
sidering 1t the relative IMPORTANCE of
the land for agricultural purposes as
against the necessity of holding 1t in
forest must be taken into account, to-
gether with the effect which clearing
would have on the adjoining lands and
the general Mfelf1r. nj n. t,i,
The particular use to which the land
may later be put IS not part of the
problem, nor is the Board concerned
with questions of the probable success
or failure of homesteads which may be
located upon the land. Whatever opin-
ions may be held on the obligations of
the Government in opening home
steads. the point to be decided by the
Board is: Can this land he cleared
without detriment to the best interests
of the adjacent tracts and the contin-
ued welfare of the Territory?
REASON FOR HILO RESERVE.
The reason for reserving the forest
In the Hilo district is. primarily, to
protect the water supply by safeguard
ing the headwaters of the various
streams and, by equalizlng, as far as
possible, their flow. The HilD district
Is fortunately situated to receive an
abundant and nearly continuous rain
fall. The trade winds bring moisture
bearing clouds and pile them up a.
gainst the slope OF Mauna Kea, where
the belt of heavy forest retards rspid
run off and feeds the permanently
running streams, thus making the
water available for use on the differ
ent plantations While the heaviest
Is somewhere between the
elevations of 40O0 and 1000 feet the
beneficial effect OF the forest extends
much lower down ON the slope, After
"a certain point however the advun-
tugos 10 hr obtained ATE not rguBl 90
the value of the mud f1r other pur-
poses lirluw This point Do thus becomes
ulNlHanlu tn clear tbu land
From wy study of lhr hlil. district
/ believe lhut ln tbe vicinity of lluuu-
uu such u point ls ffH.N.I lt uu rlryar
ilun uf approximately l,U Nri and
ihal below thn Nilh Hur exceptions.
lhr lama HpuIH ur nArri without HH
l.nus afiUWlut An lhr NRlrr aupplY
af nlw1 ~ lhg uihsf Inlrfrfla lHf
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