Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-09-20

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ownership with considerable water
supply development already installed
upon them. This principle, however,
Is by no means fixed, and It is con.
ceivable that there may be local or
general interests SO important as to
warrant the selection of areas I'm pri-
vate ownership. for investigation, In
preference to government holdings"
OF Great Importance.
Referring to the basin at waimea,
Kauai, Mr.. Leighton says:
This is the most important source
OF water supply that the undersigned
has seen In his reconnaissance OF the
Territory. Moreover, 1t is all In gov.
eminent ownership, the lease expir.
ing In 1919. In the basin of Waimea
river are located large areas of swamp
land situated at a considerable eleva.
ton. forming great. slow.spilling
catchment that gives marked uni.
formity Of discharge to the streams
draining therefrom. Below this swamp
land area along the tributaries that
enter the Waimea river from the east,
there are apparently many reservoir
sites Of large aggregate, though of
small individual capacity. To the
west OF Waimea canyon there lies a
great tract of land now known as the
Waiawa Ranch, apparently of great
fertility, requiring only a suitable wat.
er supply to make 1t productive. Here
is presented the best irrigation pro.
ject yet undeveloped In the Territory.
II is understood that the sugar planta
lions included In Kekaha and Wal.
mea are now well supplied with water
and therefore all that can be recov.
cred In Waimea basin over and above
that already preempted for these plan
tatiOns will be available for the irii-
CATION OF lands to the west of the can
yon.
Need OF Policy.
1.-THE attention of the Territory and
all Of the citizens thereof should be
fixed upon this particular area, for It
offers an unexampled opportunity for
the exercise of good public administra.
ton in land matters, and a demonstra.
ton of the fact that the conservation
of public resources Is not an empty
phrase II would be well II public pol
icy In thise case could be definitely
enunciated, fixed and popularity APP
proved at an early date SO that all
doubt concerning the ultimate dispo.
sitiOn of these lands would be re.
moved, irrespective OF the attitude OF
the Territorial administration that
may be in power when the present
lease expires"
"A Great City"
In dealing with the water supplies
OF Oahu, Leighton says:
"All the streams running westward
from the Pail from Waiomao and Ha-
pecially those nearest Honolulu. The
question Of the future water supply
for the great city that must eventually
grow up here is bound to be of the
first magnitude. While the supplies
at present at hand or In process of
development will undoubtedly suffice
for short period, 1t should be under
stood by everyone that the capacity
must increase constantly with the
growth of the city. All possible
sources should be studied now and a
definite policy of enlargement of supply
adopted as has been done In many OF
the mainland cities 1t Is only by
such foresighted measures that any
city can hope to keep pace with its
growth. without being obliged to pay
greater price than Is necessary. The
sources Of all future water supply for
the city Of Honolulu should be deter
mined as soon as possible and all
proper reservations and purchases of
necessary properties could be made