The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-03-20
(Staff Correspondence

KEANAE, March 9.-How vital the
matter of shipping facilities is to the
cause of small farming was shown
forcibly to me by Deputy Sheriff Witt
rock in conversation at Hama. He
stated that sometimes the sea is too
rought at Keanae for the steamer to
make the landing there, and in conse-
quence quantities of taro and other
produce are left behind to rot if there
are not pigs enough to feed the stuff
| to. In any case the articles lose their
| intended market. If there was a good
road into Hama, where the landing Is
! generally certain, this loss and dis
couragement worse than loss could be
avoided. Just now there is no road
at all, for the bridges are down-hence
the arduous ride over the pals which
the Governor and party took today
| Today was anticipated with great in
terest, for it was to take US through
the rubber country. And it did so
gloriously. For that part of the days
! journey it was junketing trip in jolly
good earnest.
Before setting out a cocoanut plant
| ing ceremony was held upon the sand
back of Hama 6each, beneath a cliff
at the base of Kaiwiki mountain. Ev-
erything had been prepared and, at a
given signal, Governor Frear and all
the rest of the eXpeditionists each de-
posted a sprouted cocoanut in a hole
and kicked some sand around it, leav-
ing the tamping process in the hands
of japanese laborers. On leaving the
beach a peep was taken into shed to
see the boat in which the shipwrecked
sailors Of the Eclipse had come over
the ocean 800 miles.
Then all took saddle and cantered
gaily out the main road through the
canefelds for Nahiku. Manager Chal-
mers accompanied the party for sever
al miles and on taking his leave re-
ceived the individual thanks of all for
his princely hospitality.
The prettiest cane 1 ever saw was
passed. Its stalks ten to thirteen feet
long sprang up straight and separate
like bamboo. Out of the fields the
wayside reminded one strongly of the /
Volcano road forest. Almost every
variety of Hawaiian flora seemed to .
luxuriate there. A marked feature, but /
not singular to this region of Maui, |
was the splendid profusion of healthy /
mango trees. Safe to say there are |
thousands of tons of this luscious fruit /
rotting on the island which with man
ufacturing enterprise and transporta-
tion facilities might be turned into
profitable articles of export. The same
might be said of guavas with which
practically all the wild country teens.
Deputy Sheriff Wittrock's little rub
Der plantation of 1000 trees has been
noticed in a previous letter. Other
groves of rubber are also passed here
and there on the road. Most of the
homes seen along the way, however,
are the shacks of Japanese and Ko-
rean plantation laborers. 1t seemed to
be a sort of holiday with them, for
the shacks were almost covered with
japanese or Korean flags.
About six miles out we came upon
the homelike cottage of W. A Ander-
son, manager of Nahiku Rubber Co.,
Ltd, picturesquely set upon a hillside
amidst the rubber groves. The writer
was proudly surprised, at the presen-
tation of the members of the party to
Mr.. Anderson upon the lawn, to have
himself announced as the one who was
responsible for the existence of the
Nahiku Rubber Co." Mr.. Anderson
explained that it was through an in
terview the writer had with his broth
er-the founder and first manager of
the company-and which was publish
ed in the Advertiser that the former
owner of the land was led to call his
brothers attention to this place as a
suitable location for his projected rub
Der plantation.
At the house Mrs. Anderson Joined
her husband in welcoming the party,
who were also presented to her mother,
Mrs. Pollister, and sister. Miss Pol
lister, not forgetting either a charming
little girl baby in grandma's arms, who
seemed as glad to see the folks as any
body
It was almost with dismay that prep
arations for breakfast were seen ad-
vanced upon the lanai, for it was
scarce two hours before that the press
men had fortified with a strong Chi
nese restaurant breakfast But the
wise ones of the party said it was not
known when another bite would be
within reach and, besides, there was
the powerful lure of a heaping plate
of luscious thimble berries at every
place and a heaping epergne Of more
of the fruit in the middle of the table.