273 



The proposal now is to include in the forest reserve an addi- 

 tional area of land of the semi-arid type (outlined on the accom- 

 panying blue print in colored pencil) for the reason that it will 

 serve the Territory better if made a part of this forest reserve 

 than if it is used in any other way. 



The solution of the question of the right use of the Government 

 land in Waianae Valley turns essentially on the supply of water. 

 Were a greater quantity available much more of the valley might 

 be devoted to intensive agriculture than is now possible. As it is 

 the lower lands, now mainly cultivated in sugar cane, carry the 

 prescriptive right from ancient times to practically all the water 

 in the regular flow of the stream. From the configuration of the 

 valley it does not appear feasible to construct storm-water reser- 

 voirs except at prohibitive expense. 



This portion of Waianae is too dry to permit the grov/ing of 

 agricultural crops without at least some irrigation. About the 

 only other use is grazing and to such use of this particular area 

 there are several objections. First, because being somewhat 

 isolated, it is too small to be of much value as an independent 

 paddock. Second, because its use for grazing would render liable 

 the continuation of trespass by cattle on the forest reserve, which 

 in the recent past it has been found difficult to control, and third, 

 because with the outlook that exists at Waianae for getting forest 

 planting started, it appears that in any event on this paricular tract 

 a better showing of returns to the Government could be made 

 from trees than from cattle. 



As has been said by me in earlier reports on this valley, the 

 Waianae Plantation Company has for some years been carrying 

 on. at its own expense, forest planting on the Waianae-kai Forest 

 Reserve. As a part of an agreement regarding the use of certain 

 waters rising in the forest reserve, the settlement of which is now 

 pending in the Land Office, the Waianae Company is ready to 

 undertake the planting of additional areas and, moreover, to build 

 and maintain a fence on the lower boundary of the proposed addi- 

 tion and in such other places along the borders of included ku- 

 leanas as may be necessary efficiently to protect the forest reserve. 



The area now proposed to be set apart was .cut up into lots 

 when the Waianae Valley was surveyed a few months ago for the 

 so-called Pahoa Homestead subdivision. It was, however, never 

 offered to the public, being withdrawn on the grounds, as above 

 set forth, that it would be of greater advantage to the Valley as 

 a whole if added to the Forest Reserve. The land is now under 

 lease (No. 602, expiring July 1, 1913) to the Waianae Com- 

 pany. This whole question has received the personal atten- 

 tion both of the present and of the last Commissioner of Public 

 Lands. Both favor the project here proposed. 



For all these reasons I therefore do now recommend that the 

 Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry approve 

 this project and request the Governor of the Territory to set 



