The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-26

One important result of the Confer
ence of the Governors held at the White
House in Washington in May, 1908, has
been the appointment by many of the
Governors, of local Conservation Com
missions to investigate the natural re
sources of their respective states and in
other ways to cooperate with the Ma
tional Conservation Commission.
On July 23rd last. Governor Frear
created the Territorial Conservation
! Commission of Hawaii, and appointed
as its members Messrs. R. S. Hosmer,
Chairman; w. o. Smith, A Gartley, w.
| +. Dillingham; and J. G.. Smith.
Just prior to the departure of Cover
nor Frear for the mainland the Terri
torial Conservation Commission of Ha-
waii submitted its first report, pre-
liminary statement with recommend
ations. With the report were appen-
dices containing statistical information
in regard to forests, waters and lands
The report with the appendices will be
published in full in the December num-
Der of the Hawaiian Forester and Agri-
eulturist.
The regular report with the recon-
mendations of the Commission, in full,
is as follows:
Territorial Conservation Commission of
Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov. 14th, 1908.
Ralph S. HOsmer, Chairman; w. o.
Smith, Alonzo Gartley, w. F. Dill
bingham, Jared G. Smith.
Honorable w. F. Frear, Governor of Ha
waii, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Sir: The Territorial Conservation
Commission of Hawaii has the honor to
submit herewith preliminary report on
the nature and present condition of the
natural resources of the Territory, to-
gether with certain recommendations |
looking to their proper development
and wise use.
The duty of the Commission is to in |
quire into the natural resources of the !
Territory, to bring together the avail |
able information in regard to their pres
emit condition, and in cooperation with !
the National Conservation Commission
and the Conservation Commissions of |
other states and territories to assist in
formulating plans whereby the material
resources of the Nation as whole and |
of this Territory in particular may be |
wisely and conservatively used "in such |
70 10 ha
of the greatest number for the longest |
time.''
The whole economic fabric of the Ter |
ritory of Hawaii is closely bound up
with the right use of its natural re-
sources Although politically an in
tegral part of the Union, in situation
Hawaii is remote from the other states !
and territories. Notwithstanding this |
fact even a casual inspection of the
local problems of conservation shows |
that the majority of them are shared
in common by Hawaii and by mainland |
states. The possibility of any extensive !
development of the resources of Hawaii !
depends on the continued prosperity of !
the mainland The prosperity of the
mainland rests in turn on the wise use ,
of the sources of national wealth. Con-
sequently both because of its own local
problems and because of the relation
that the wise use of the resources Of |
the mainland bears to the question,
Hawaii takes real and vital interest
in conservation and in all that pertains
thereto.
The natural resources of Hawaii are
waters, soils and forests. Minerals can
at present hardly be made to claim a !
place in the list, although recent devel- |
opments in the making of lime from
coral sand are an indication that as the |
result of a comprehensive investigation
cement making and perhaps other indus |
tries dependent on mineral wealth |
could also be developed. Incidentally it |
may be remarked here that certain red /
earths, not uncommon in the Territory, |
have long been used locally in the prep |
aratiOn of paints.
Hawaii is essentially a country de-
pendent on agriculture. From its geo !,
graphic position, its sub-tropical
climate, and the peeuliarities of its
topography, irrigation plays large and |
increasingly important part in the
economic development of the Territory.
The main industry is the production of |
sugar cane OF the fifty odd sugar plan
tations over half are irrigated. On the |
non-irrigated plantations much water is |
needed for fuming cane to the mill or |
for mower dpVelOpmpnt Other imDOr- |