The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-06-12

matter of a home for non-leprous chill
dren.
Honolulu, June II, 1907.
To the Members of the Board of
Health:
Let us consider for a few moments
the proposed Home for Non-Leprous
Male Children of Leprous Parents.
The Legislature at it's recent session
having granted an appropriation for
the establishment of Home for Non
Leprous male children of leprous par
ents, said appropriation becoming
available July LIST, 1907, it would seem
advisable the Board of Health take the
matter under prompt consideration.
hand you copies of previous obser-
Vations on this subject.
After frequent consultations with
the Land Department and visits to va
rious localities l recommend efforts
be made to establish the home at Wal
mea, Hawaii
l recommend this because at that
place, to an extent not possible else
where general agriculture, not spe-
cialized agriculture, can be carried on
and agricultural machinery of the most
modern types be used
Here too is the most favorable To-
cation in the Territory to illustrate,
carry out and train our young men in
American methods OF agriculture and
raise some of those products we con-
sumo, but which, at present, we are
obliged to import.
Certainly this Territory needs as a
matter of prudence to raise, to the ex-
tent possible food-stuffs for local con-
sumption
Attached is a memorandum by Will
mot Vredenberg, for over twenty years
resident of Waimea in which he
sums up the capabilities of this dis
trict.
l trust a government investigation
and survey would disclose more arabic
land with dependable rainfall than Mr.
Vredenberg mentions.
An inexpensive railway, if capitaliz-
ed at cost. of some twenty odd miles
in length would connect the whole dis
trict with Kawaihae harbor and enable
the products of the Waimea plains to
be delivered in the Honolulu market
in fourteen hours
/ The land referred to by Mr.. Vreden-
berg is under lease to the Parker
Ranch until July LIST, 1913
The only land now within control
of the Territorial Government at Wal
mea is some 800 acres known as the
Pitman Lease situated a short dis
lance northwest of the village and
the Land Commissioner regards it as
site for summer homes.
This land by a proper landscape sur
vey and plating could be made a most
beautiful and healthful resort, the
scenery is magnificent, the atmosphere
bracing and withal in the near future
only a nights journey from Honolulu.
1t would therefore seem inexpedient to
apply for any portion of the Pitman
Lease lands expect for the temporary
object below named.
1t might be wise to request the Land
Department to negotiate with the re-
representatives. Of the Parker Ranch
looking to the release of not less than
240 acres of Ian, as rnay be selected
on the area described by Mr.. Vreden-
berg, giving in exchange a lease for
six years of a portion of the Pitman
lease lands
This institution should be made as
self sustaining as possible, eventually
entirely so, therefore l suggest this
Boys Home be provided with not less
than 240 acres of excellent arabic land
in this dependable evenly distributed
rainfall belt, with an opportunity to
later increase the area devoted to its
purposes
One hundred and sixty acres of Iowa
and Nebraska land, growing the same
produce adaptable to these Waimea
lands, were considered necessary for
the support and reasonable prosperity
of family. The entire labor of rails
ing and harvesting forty acres of corr
was considered the proper yearly stunt
for robust eighteen year old boy
thought at present the limit is twenty
five or thirty acres as cultivation is
more intense. 1t is time to abandon
the idea a farmer in Hawaii can pros
per on a few acres, though tropica
products allow him to exist on fewer
acres than those possible products o
high elevations. The area suggested
for this Boys Home is not excessive.
To digress somewhat, permit me tt
suggest 1t might not be an ill-adviseC
step for the government to eventual!
divide 5000 acres of the land described
into apprentice farms OF suitable sizl
where. on each farm under the super
vision OF skilled working farmer
robust strong boys, for the four year
preceding reaching legal age, coul'
engage In a strictly business way Il