The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-03-12
FORESTS ON LANAI
WOULD SAVE ISLAND
BUT SAYS EXPERT, KILL THE
GOATS 50 TREES MAY HAVE A
CHANCE

GOATS so TREES MAY HAVE A
CHANCE.
The Lanai Committee again took up
it's investigation last night.
II. e. Cooper testified that he had
had as attorney for Mr.. Gay written
surrender of the Gay leases in his pos
session before the deal, and that Land
Commissioner Pratt had been so in
formed He said that so far as he
knew, there had been no intention to
force the action of the government in
the exchange, but that in the event
of any other disposal than the one
made Of the government lands on La
mai, these leases would have been Civ
en- up.
Albert Barnes said he was COM
missioner appointed by the court to
sell Lanai under the Pain and Neuman
foreclosure, and therefore he thought
he should have some knowledge of it,
so he had spent a few days there, he
thought in August last. At the time
of his visit everything seemed to be
green, especially in the garden at Mr..
Gays place; the vegetables growing
there We're in fine condition. Mr..
Barnes was particularly struck by the
thrifty and healthy appearance of
patch of sugar cane grown by a native
woman, who told him that the only
water thee ane received "the, Lord gave
it,"
He had asked Mr.. Fred Hayselden if
cane growing had ever been tried on
Lanai and had been answered in the
negative
Mr.. Barnes stated that i'm his opin-
ion Mr.. Gay had gotten the best of the
DEAL asked why by Mr.. Rawlins, he
answered that it had seemed to him
that Lanai could be used profitably by
a fan who had capital enough to handle
it, Mr.. Barnes did not think himself
competent to express an opinion as to
theb est use to which the island could
be put.
r. S Hosmer. superintendent of
Forestry, stated that he had been APP
pointed to the Territorial service in
December, 1903 He had visited Lanai
in May, 1904, at the request of Mr..
Pratt to look after a tract set aside as
a forest reserve by Mr. Harvey of the
Surveyors office. Mr. Hosmer stated
that he had found indications that at
some former time certain portions Of
Lanai had been much more heavily
wooded than at present. The efforts
of the Forestry division, said Mr.. Hos
mer, had been mainly directed to the
preservation of such forests as existed
in order to protect the waterhead. Such
woods as there are on Lanai are in
bad condition and growing worse, one
of Mr.. Hosmer's objects i'm visiting the
island was to see what could be done
in the way of reforestation, one of the
first steps of which would be to eXter-
inmate the goats. This would be a big
operation. If the goats are left there,
Mr. Hosmer said, such forest as re-
manned would eventually disappear
which would render such Mater supply
as might exist now very unreliable.
Under the present conditions, Lanai
win in course Of time become like Ka-
hoolawe; indeed, he said, portions Of
Lanai are in that condition now.
The future of Lanai, he thought,
would depend upon its reforestation.
Mr.. Hosmer expressed the opinion that
the present water supply was barely
enough to allow certain lands to be
used for grazing purposes. Mr. Hos
fer decidedly endorsed the govern
ments action I'm the land deal. He
said that the position of the lands re-
quired that the whole island be under
the control Of one man. If the govern
ment could buy the private lands and
hold the island for future development
As it is, he thought it more profitable
to the government to let Lanai go un-
der the control Of some individual or
corporation rich enough to develop It,,
as the revnues collectable I'm that case
would be more than the government
could hope to receive under ofrmer con-
ditions.
The committee then adjourned until
Wednesday evening at 1880.
ATT0T ATgKG ~ ADAII n Al .IH.