490 



at the head of Makua Valley, district of Waianae, Oahu. The 

 land all belongs to the Territory and is not now under lease. 



When the Makua-Keaau Forest Reserve was set apart by proc- 

 lamation of the Governor on June 4, 1913, it was evidently in- 

 tended by my predecessor to include in the reserve the area under 

 discussion, but for some reason or other the official line was put 

 further mauka. What this was, I have not been able to ascer- 

 tain, and there seems to be no good reason why this area of 

 103.85 acres should not now be added to the reserve, and this 

 plan meets with the aproval of the Acting Land Commissioner. 



The land is situated at the upper end of the bottom of Makua 

 Valley. It is dissected by the main valley stream-bed and several 

 lateral gulches, all of which are filled with kukui trees. The 

 ridges for the most part, while clothed no doubt with a heavy 

 native forest in the early days, are now covered with grass, guava 

 and lantana, and in places have been badly eroded as the result 

 of overgrazing. Up to the present time there has been no barrier 

 to prevent cattle from wandering up from the leased land makai 

 on to this area, a condition which it is most advisable to stop at 

 the earliest possible date. With this area properly protected from 

 grazing and with the aid of a little artificial reforestation it can 

 be made of much greater value than it is at present by the restor- 

 ation of forest conditions for the protection of local sources of 

 water. Every drop of fresh water in this region is at a premium 

 during the dry season, and this condition will be even more so in 

 the future when the lands adjacent to and makai of this area are 

 homesteaded. 



For this reason it seems logical to me that everything possible 

 should now be done to make the sources of water supply in this 

 valley more dependable, and in order to make a start toward this 

 end, I do now recommend that the Board approve the project of 

 setting apart the area of 103.85 acres of government land at the 

 head of Makua Valley, as shown on the attached map, as an 

 addition to the present Makua-Keaau Forest Reserve, in the dis- 

 trict of Waianae, Oahu, and that the Governor be requested to 

 take the necessary steps toward this end. 



While I am on this subject I consider it my duty to call once 

 more to your attention the unfulfilled fencing requirement in this 

 region and to make the following recommendation in the effort 

 to secure the construction of this fence, which is necessary for 

 the protection of the native forest in the Makua-Keaau Forest 

 Reserve. 



\\'hen General Lease No. 730 of "all of the Government rem- 

 nants of the lands of Makua, Kahanaiki and the Government 

 interest in Keawaula, Waianae, Oahu," amounting to 1914 acres, 

 was advertised for sale, the notice which appeared in the Pacific 

 Commercial Advertiser of January 22, 1910, contained the fol- 

 lowing sentence : "This lease will contain conditions requiring 

 fencing of all boundaries of forest reserve." The lease was sold 

 on February 21, 1910, to Mr. L. L. McCandless for the annual 



