Year: 1870

10 Iht i8DlIOh IlAN ALAN pALEIlE


SIR In the Commercial AdceJ1iser of Satur-
day last find an editorial item under the caption
of 1t CAN'T BE DoXE, referring to the practical
bty of the steamer Kilauea touching at Kauna-
kakai harbor, Moloka on her trip to and from
the Windward Islands The item in question is
a criticism Of and reply to, a communication on
the same subject, signed - MoLoKAI" which ap-
peared in the GAZETTE on Wednesday last


Having. probably wider and better acquant-
ance, not only with the Island of Molokai but
with all the islands of tins group-their coast
lines as well as their population and resources
than the responsible or irresponsible writer for
the Adc =rtiseT. l beg your permission to show
that its peremptOry II cant be done is hasty,
faulty, ill-tempered and unworthy of journal that
preends to advocate the development aud IN
crease OF the agricultural interests in this country


The AdceJtiseT says that stopping at Kauna-
kakai would detain the steamer several hours to
send her boat ashore, etc. and that the freight
and passengers obtained would not pay for the
fuel eonsumed during such stoppage. Such a
dictum is very superficial to call it by no harsher
name. There is a good whaeboat and scow
at Kaunakaka and if more were required, more
would undoubtedly be put on by those whose in
terests would be subserved thereby. The steamer
can be seen from Kaunakakai almost as soon as
she leaves Lahana, IN clear weather and is al
ways in sight for an hour or more before she
passes the harhor; so that there is ample time to
bring freight and passengers outside to meet her
and the only detention would be the time required
to unload the boat and scow. As 70 the amount
of freight and passengers to be obtained at Ka-
nnakakai, they cannot of course be estimated to
an exact figure beforehand their growth and in
crease depend upon and are stimulated by, the
frequency, regularity and comfort Of the inter
island conveyance. But those who know the
island best and its capabilities will not accuse me
of overstatng the thing, if estimate the passen-
gers at from y to 20 per week, besides horses
cattle sheep. hides fish, salt, butter pai-ai, and
market produce of various kinds. There is al
ready practicable cart-road between Puuko and
Kaunakakai and it would doubtless be improved
were the steamer to touch regularly at the latter
place.


So far, it is toelably plain TO most people who
understand anything about it, that the steamers
touching at Kaunakaka on her down-trip, occur
ing as it would do at about 10 o'clock in the
morning, can not only be done conveniently and
expeditiousy, but with considerable profit as well.
As regards her touching there on the up,trp it
would involve some arrangement about lights at
Kaunakaka and change in the present time
table but in this. as in everything else. where
there is a will there is way" and the way in
this case would be neither impractcable nor ex-
peusive. The present captain of the Kilauea is,
or ought to be, well acquainted with the AIolokai
coast; and had the Adceriser asked him or any
other competent coasting captain, / have no doubt
that they would have said that il can be done
With proper lights ashore and a spar-buoy an
chored outside the harbor of Kaunalakai there is
not half the risk. nor need there be as much in
convenience, in doing nght-work off that place
off such places as Kohala landing, Homo
ipu and Lahaina, where, according to the time
table, see it is now done


The Adoertiser'e remarks upon the style of
i" Molokais" communications are in the happiest
vein OF the old regime of that journal but as they
are beyond (below) the sphere of criticism to
which have been accustomed or wish to contend
with, merely notice them without comment


AT