Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-04-08
Investigators Find Lanai Is Not
Suitable For Independent Homesteaders
ENTIRELY SATISFIED WITH CONTROL BY GAY

, les were Of great use.
During the day the party passed ov.
a. the palawai basin, went to the
Maunalei gulch and from there to Kga.
[ ". @. Twins portion, and some went
even further. staying in the saddle uu
til ~. N.
In the evening a meeting Of the
. Hawqiians was called at Gays house.
] INHABITANTS EXAMINED
Kalciopu opened the meeting by
stating to the people that the commit.
tee had come to investigate matters
pertaining to the Government lands
jId water rights ON the Island, as
there had been some objection raised
to the sale of the Government land to
Gay. The committee wanted to find
out about these things and also about
bow Gay was treating the people.
Kealiihananui, a GO.year.old Hawaii.
an who was born and had lived ON the
Island all his life, was the first wit.
ness.
In Kamoko there had formerly been
considerable forest. He was not ia.
miliar with the entire Island. He knew
kaa, Mahana, Maunalei and other
places. Maunalei was cultivated by
the Hawaiians in former days, but the
increase of the goats had destroyed
their industry. The goats had been
there when he was born and had been
increasing ever since. lie had not
been In the Maunalci gulCh since the
tarO industry was abandoned. years
ago. The taro patches had used the
Maunalci water. Each patch had a
right to certain amount of II. He
did not know whether the source there
OF was on private or public lands
There had been no constantly running
streams within the memory Of the wit.
ness. There were some other gulchcs
I'm which there were streams during
the rainy seasons. lie could not say
whether the rainfall had increased or
decreased during his lifetime. For.
, mcrly sweet potatoes were raised on
, the island, In the Palawai basin,as well
| MS corn and watormelOns. 1t was used
( only for home consumption and dc.
;
, had been sunk but only bTackish wa.
, ter had been obtained. People living
, inland depended on rain and In dry
| spells they had 10 get water from ma
kai.
The witness said he owned three
} kulcanas on the higher lands. Gay
| had rot tried to get them and had not
, threatened him. Gay treated the PEG.
, pie well: he gave them food when
( they were in need. He had never
| heard of anyone being ordered of
4 the Island by Gay. lie gave poi, beef
I and biscuits to the Hawaiians, as well
3 as employment.
r Tho Government lands were very
: good, but they mad to depend on rain
, water and during dry weather the crop
, would dry up. That was the expert
Cncc of the Lanai people. When there
was rain they could cultivate their
lands: when the dry spell came the
crops dried out and they had to get
food from Lahaina.
He thought the Government lands
would be all right for homcsteads. He
could comply with the homestead con
ditions If he were young and strong
Tho Maunalci water was the only de
pcndablc source. He did not know II
that would he sufficient to irrigate the
Palawai basin Lack of water on La
mai was the great trouble. Many PEG
pie had moved from the uplands dowf
to the beach because of lack of water
Sometimes the people had to go Il
Lahaina for water.
Additional questions were asket
when brought out the fact that thC
witness knew nothing about th'
homestead law
lie went on TO say that there usel
to be n large number Of taro patches
in the Maunalei gulch.
do you say that this pest OF goat
accounts for the disappearance O
them" asked Silva did the goat
drink all the water?"
The old man said that In the oil
times the water In the Maunalei gulc
did not reach the sea except In tn
rainy season.
NOTHING WOULD GROW
Namiimili, 5G'year'old Hawaiian
who had been born on Lanai, but ha
visited Honolulu and Hawaii, wa
called next He said he knew tn
Maunalei boundaries, but when he wa
asked whether the spring was on Co
crnmont or private land, he said h
did not know, The people of Lan'
got along well with Gay. He noyC
irlnl IN Enrcn nnN ono of Ihnm 10 lnnN