The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-09-13
IRRIGATION PLAN
THE BIGGEST
ONE YET
Would Garry Ditch fromHilo Clear
Around to Kau for Pahala
and Hutchinson.

Reclamation of the Kau district of
the Island of Hawaii, rendering its arid
lands fertile and increasing the sugar
output and area for further develop.
ment, are included IN a scheme for
| water development reported by Man
| ager Carl Wolters of Hutchinson plan.
| tation, and John T. McCrosson, who
returned from the Coast Monday on
| the Matson steamship Wilhelm 4.
Since the development of the water
resources OF the Islands began a few
years ago, Kauai, Maui, Oahu and
| portion of Hawaii have received atten.
tion from the engineering experts, and
water which previously went to waste,
either by direct flow into the ocean or
by sieving through the porous soil into
the subterranean reservoirs, is now con-
| served and sent onto valuable cane
lands, and also areas which may be de-
veloped by homesteaders, but nothing
has so far been done toward relieving
thirsty Kau.
In the Kau district are Hutchinson
and Pahala plantations, both of which
suffer for want of water, and some sea.
sons end with the sugar output mate
rally decreased because of drought.
Pahala has not only suffered from lack
of water, but at one time it was threat
ened with humiliation by the leafhop-
per, which ravaged almost the entire
estate.
1t is understood that Manager VOL
ters' visit to California was directly
connected with the proposal to organize
a company for the purpose of securing
water somewhere. in the Hilo district
and carrying it by system Of bitches
and tunnels almost one-fourth around
the Island into Kau district and along
the upper levels of cane lands of the
two plantations. The ditch will be car
ried past the crater of Kilauea, prob
ably about a thousand or fifteen hun
bred feet below that famous volcanic
wonder, and down into the region which
is so sadly in need of water.
Those interested in seeing that part
of the Big Island developed, that it
may be made attractive to homestead
ers, and thereby tend to increase the
population, which is at a low ebb, are
of the opinion that the federal reclama-
ton service has there an opportunity
to put its theories and money into prac-
tical service. The matter is also to be
brought to the attention of the Gov
ernor and the superintendent of public
works. With combination of the fed
eral and territorial governments and
those interested in the cane develop
ment of that part Of the Island, there
is hope that the water now going to
waste in the Hilo hinterland will be
conserved and conducted into the arid
region. There are thousands of acres
of land that can be developed into a
rich agricultural district, if only water
can be brought upon it.
The upper lands are considered excel
lent for cattle raising, but without
water cattle have died there by thou
sands. There are many reasons why
water should be brought into Kau, the
promoters state, and not the least of
these reasons is that the country can
be made attractive to homesteading.
The entire scheme is big one
Governor Frear's Analysis.
Governor Frear, to whom the PROPOSE
ton has been suggested, gave many de-
tails of the suggested plan for the
ditch. "The suggestion has been made
by John T. McCrosson, 4" he said, "that
an irrigation ditch be constructed to
take the surplus water of the streams
from Hakalau and Hilo districts on the
windward side of Hawaii, around into
the district of Kau The ditch would
begin at an elevation of about $500
feet, pass through Olaa and below the
volcano, and through the district of
Kau at sufficient elevation to irrigate
i, the lands requiring irrigation in that
district. It would be cement lined and
e would be perhaps ninety miles in length
T. OF course, it would cost a large amount
t of money.
e t'The lands which it would be ex'
f pected to water would be those now
- occupied in fee simple or under lease
e by the Pahala and Hutchinson sugar
S plantations. and other lands used for
9 grazing and by homesteaders. large
e proportion of the land is owned by the
government and another large proper
tiOn by the Bishop Estate.
Would Be Making of District.
"It would be the making of that dis
) trict and would make 1t possible not
only to supply adequately with water
lands not under cultivation, and which
suffer from time to time from drought
= but also TO bring a great deal of addi,
r tonal land under cultivation, as far as
, the extreme south point of the island OF
, Hawaii
:, "The scheme involves two PROPOSE
llOHA. oHt u lhe RIhHliHE OF Whltf
license the terms of which would be
, such as would protect those who re
! quire water from the same sources in
the district Of Hilo, and also such as
would require water 10 be furnished at
reasonable rates TO lands already home
: steaded or to be homesteaded In the
: district Of Kau,
; "The other proposition relates 10 the
= disposition Of the lands intended 10 bf
irrigated in the district Of K0u, The
ditch would have 10 be constructed on
: bonds and In order 20 float the bonds
> Il would be necessary 10 give sufficient
! security 10 the bGndhOldeTs
"lt would probably be inadyisablc 4
!. DO as hps been done in some other
I places, 90 grant the lands la fee simpi,
10 either tho sugar plantations or thi
irrigation company
Congressional Authorization.
'Matoyfr under Tho present laws
sufAeienily long lease could not b.
given because leases NJ agriculture
Huds ara uuW lmitfI tn HffHTu war