The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-02-14

livestock which is kept on portions of
the watershed.
1.-THE offer of the, wahiawa Water
Co. (Ltd.), is more restricted as to the
purposes for which the water is to be
used than that of the applicant named
in the pending bill. 1t has an easement
or serEitude for the maintenance Of its
existing plant on the reservation and
has a considerable investment in said
plant The offer of the applicant
named in the pending bill is moro asd.
vantageous to the government.
- 1t is not yet known, and can not
now be definitely aseertained, what the
fair value of the rights thus sought
from the government is. That they are
exceedingly valuable is made perfectly
manifest by the competitive offers OF
these two companies.
at is not now known, approximate
ly, even to what extent the government
win call for the use of water upon said
reservation. Owing TO the location and
maintenance of troops in Oahu, this
may vary considerably, and il may be
that the water taken by the govern
ment would be very insignificant in
comparison with the value Of the water
rights upon the reservation. If, ON &C.
coInt of the use Of tho reservation for
military purposes, the use of water
should be insignificant, then it is mani.
fest that the government, If IL passes
the present bill or permits the WahiaWa
Water Co. (Ltd.) to enjoy its present
uses, will be giving away to private
companies very valuable water rights
from which they derive a profit from
others.
"In my Judgment these rights should
not be disposed of without a better
understanding as TO their value, and
without a further development as TO
the plans for using this reservation for
military purposes. do not believe
that the Wahiawa Water Co. Ltd.)
should be left in indefinite enjoyment,
or even enjoyment for a considerable
time, without compensation. of the uses
which it now has. While am Of this
opinion, I am also of the opinion that
it would be unwise at present TO pass
the McCrossOn hill. IF legislation shall
not take place at this time, 1 shall
direct the proper departments to pro-
coed to ascertain at the earliest possible
time the value of the water rights upon
this reservation, and shall also have a
declaration of policy as to the use OF
troops in Oahu which shall indicate,
if it can be done now, the extent to
which water will be used for military
purposes upon the reservation.
"There should be some just proper
tion between the value Of the grant
and the value of the uses gotten by
the government. If there should be
any large excess Of value, it should, in
my Judgment, not be given away by
the government to private parties or
companies to be sold by them to those
who have lands to irrigate.
"The quartermaster-gener in re-
porting ON this measure, under date Of
December 8, 1910, said:
"The bill is in line with what
was anticipated and is believed to
be the first step in a strong effort
to be made by private individuals
to obtain water rights on the SehO-
field Barracks reservation. The bill
is highly objectionable ~ in that
it would cause a complication
which would seriously Interfere
with the free use of the reserva-
ton for military purposes, and (2)
in that it proposes to grant with
out adequate compensation to the
government a valuable right to
ready been reported, it is believed
70 be of the utmost Importance that
further complications in regard to
this reservation be avoided, and
that it would be contrary to the
best interests of the government IL
any further legislation is had
granting rights to individuals on
this or any other military reservA.
tion in the Hawaiian Islands at
this time.
1.-THE government does not
come into full possession Of this
reservation until the expiration of
an existing lease in January, 1912.
If there is any water pertaining to
the reservation that win not be re-
quired for the use of the garrisons
to be established there, it win be
time enough to consider the dis.
, position of the surplus after that
date.
"My recommendation for the pres
ent is that the McCrosson bill be not
passed, but I do not recommend now
its rejection"