The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-11-11
irrigation Seen
AS All Important
Hawaiian Homes Commission
Visits Molokai and Returns
Strongly In Favor of Put
ting Water on Lands.

Important irrigation projects on
Molokai are regarded by members OF
the Hawaiian Homes commission to
the success of rehabilitation on that
Island on an extensive scale, follow
ing their visit to Molokai. The Ad-
vertiser summaries the conclusions
reached, as follows:
There is land on Molokai "as fer
tile as any in the islands," in the
opinion of agricultural experts who
accompanied the Hawaiian Homes
commission to the reservation of 3D.
600 acres on that island set aside by
congress for the purpose of rehabili-
tating the Hawaiian race
OF this acreage some 5000, given
sufficient water, are susceptle of In
tensive development.
OF the 5000, perhaps two or three
thousand are good pineapple land.
Without irrigation on an extensive
scale, there is available for immedi-
ate development by wells and pump
ing some 200 acres which will bear
rich crops of alfalfa.
To plant sugar cane on any large
scale would necessitate bringing wa
ter by a system of tunnels and ditch
es from the windward side of the is
land. Such a system would be from
20 to 80 miles long and would run in
to figures of which, with the data
now at hand, it is possible to speak
only loosely in terms of millions.
These were the controlling facts
brought back by the commission on
it's return from Molokai this week.
Small System No Good
George P. Cooke, executive secre-
tary of the commission, said that, in
his opinion, it would be a losing ven
ture to build any irrigation system
which promised to bring in less than
20, 80, 40 or so million gallons a day,
taking into account the probable ex-
penditure. In immediate sight from
any one source was a maximum of
1000, 900 gallons a day, on the year
round average.
To obtain the quantity necessary to
assure commercial success, it would
be necessary to link up by lateral tun-
nels and bitches, connecting with and
feeding the main tunnel and conduit
through the backbone of the island,
a number of streams in valleys which
now pour forth upon the windward
shore. Such IN extensive and expen.
sive system would be warranted only
by a large area of possible cane land
than was contained within the bound.
aries of the districts set aside for re
Mobilization. In other words, it would
be necessary to link up the rehabilita.
ton project with commercial develop.
ment by private capital.
No Survey Made .-
In the meantime, exact data is lack
ing. The boundaries of the reserva.
ton have not been surveyed, so that
the commission does not know accur.
ately what its holdings are or what
are it's water rights. To obtain this
information will be the first step.
Delegate Kalanianaole and the Rev
Akaiko Akana, the Hawaiian mem
bers of the commission, as also Sen
ator John H.. Wise, it's publicity agent
are strongly in favor of stalking the
whole rehabilitation project on devel
opment of an irrigation system. With
water, they reason, the venture is a
foregone success. Without water, il
diminishes in importance proportion
ately to the arabic area and the less.
ened production per acre, and might
fade away and die out in gradual fail
ure. Therefore, before any colonists
are put on the land, they believe all
the facts and possibilities that can be
obtained or estimated ought to be
made available and carefully weighed