The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-08-13
P||HONUA LAND
NOT AVAILABLE

At the last meeting of the Board OF
Commissioners OF Agriculture and For
estry, held on July %. 1907. action was
taken on an application 10 lumber the
koa on the government land of Piiho-
nua, Hilo, Hawaii. now under lease to
the Hon. John T. Baker of Hilo.
| Approving the recommendations OF
the Superintendent OF Forestry and the
| Committee on Forestry. the Board
submitted 10 the Governor the recon-
mendation that no numbering be per-
mitted on this land. Governor Carter
sustained this action by refusing 10
grant the desired license.
The report Of the Superintendent OF
Forestry. now made public. shows the
reasons for the action taken and more
clearly than before defines the posi-
ton OF the Board Of Agriculture and
Forestry in regard 10 numbering the
government forests.
Honolulu, Hawaii, July IS, 1901
Committee on Forestry, Board Of Agri-
culture and Forestry, Honolulu.
Gentlemen: I have the honor TO sub
nit the following report on the ques-
ton of permitting numbering on the
land OF Piihonua, district of Hilo. is
land of Hawaii.
This report is made in reply to re-
quest received from the Commissioner
of Public Lands on June is. 1907. 1t Is
based; % on an examination of the
land made at the end of June, 1897.
during which / saw as much Of Pill
honua as can be seen without the cut
ting of a considerable number of trails
through heavy underground and across
swamps; (2) on all the other evidence
in regard to the character of the land
that l could obtain, and l believe l
have practically all that is available.
/ have given the matter most careful
consideration from every point OF view
and 1 conscientiously believe that
am acting for the best interests OF the
Territory in making the recommended
tons that follow.
DESCRIPTION.
Piihonua IS government land, IN
der crown lease TO the Hon. John t.
Baker of Hilo. The lease (No. 53I) ex-
pires on March p, 1921. The upper
part of the tract is sublet to Mr.. W.
II. Shipman and constitutes the Pun
90 Ranch. The lower line of Mr.. Ship
mans lease extends almost due north
across the tract from the point on the
1855 lava flow known as Reeds Island,
at an elevation of approximately 5000
feet. The lower portion of the tract is
covered by the fields OF the Hawaii
Mill Company's sugar plantation. The
cane lands reach up to an elevation of
| about 1000 feet.
The section between the cane fields
! and forest fence constructed by Mr.
Shipman at some distance above the
line of his lease, constitutes a part Of
the Hilo Forest Reserve, established
in July, 1905.
Between the limits named the land
is heavily wooded. On the lower and
middle sections the forest consists OF
mixed stand of Ohia Lehua and Koa
trees, mainly of large size. At an ele-
walton OF approximately $500 feet is a
belt of pure Ohia forest. Above this
| and extending to and above the Ship
man fence the forest is again compos-
ed of Koa and Ohia. in mixture
Throughout the forest is a heavy I'M
dergrowth consisting of tree-ferns, low
shrubs and small trees. and high grow
ing ferns and brakes. In places are
tangles of ie-ie vine and uluhi. The
soil where exposed is reddish clay,
foot to eighteen inches or more in
depth.
The belt of pure Ohia is evidently
| the point of greater precipitation from
| the trade wind clouds; though
throughout the forest, from the planta-
ton clearing to the Shipman line, the
rainfall is heavy. All over the area
are springs, pools and swamps that
| feed the numerous small tributaries to
the Waikiki River and it's several
branches. Practically the whole drain
age basin OF this stream Is on Piiho-
! nua. for the water that comes from
| higher up than the section watered by
| the trade wind clouds is limited to the
! flow resulting from Kona and other
| local storms.
| Very little is known accurately of the
actual sources of the water in the
| streams. or from which part of the
forest they are most largely fed But
the indications are that from one-third
to one-half Of the water comes from
the area of pure Ohia forest. above de-
scribed, while the remainder is the re-
suit of springs and swamps lower
down. These springs are dependent
for their sustained and equalized flow
on the protection afforded by the for
| est cover
| At present the water from the Wal
luku is used for irrigation and for
turning the power wheels OF the Hilo
Electric Light Company. For these
| purposes it is diverted at points near
or below the 1000 feet level.
| RECOMMENDATIO
Having given the problem thorough
and careful study, both on the ground
and in its various relations, / cannot
report favorably on the proposition to
| lumber this tract My principal rea-
sons for this decision are three in
number.
First: l believe the greatest value
of the forest on Piihonua to be in the
influence which 1t has on the drainage
of the Waikiki River and it's branches
l. e., on the affect the forest exerts
on the water after 1t reaches the sur
face. by equalizing the flow and pre-
venting excessive run off. In view OF
It's present use and possible further
development for water power. trriga-
ton and even for domestic SUPPLIES
| foI1 ~, he