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In a nut shell, the problem is that the United States is cutting 

 wood out of its forests three or four times as fast as it is being 

 grown. Timber for the future is simply a matter of putting idle 

 land to work and to protect the growing trees from damage by 

 fire. 



While the Territory of Hawaii is not a timber producing coun- 

 try, the principles involved in the celebration of Forest Protection 

 week should be well understood by all of the residents of this 

 Territory. The Hawaiian forests give forth a product in the 

 form of water which is much more valuable than the crop of 

 timber which could be produced on the areas from which this 

 continuous supply of water emanates. Water is the agricultural 

 life blood of these islands, because without it, the main agricul- 

 tural crop could not be produced. 



It behooves every inhabitant of the Territory therefore to use 

 the greatest care with fire, in order to prevent destruction to 

 the forest which conserves the water supply. 



Fortunately the fire menace in these Islands is not, as a rule, 

 very serious, but there are times when, owing to lack of rain, 

 fire may be easily started which might do incalculable damage 

 to the native forest. 



During the past two calendar years there were reported to the 

 Chief Fire Warden of the Territory fifteen forest and grass fires 

 which covered from less than one acre to over 5500 acres of area 

 burned over. All of these fires were preventable and were caused 

 by human carelessness. The Territory has, throughout the 

 Islands, fifty-five public spirited citizens who have received com- 

 missions from the Board of Agriculture and Forestry as District 

 Fire Wardens. These gentlemen have done excellent work in 

 performing their duties prescribed by law, viz : To prevent, con- 

 trol and extinguish forest fires. They have the authority to em- 

 ploy all able-bodied male persons between the ages of 16 and 50 

 years for assistance in putting out fire. They report promptly to 

 the Chief Fire Warden in Flonolulu all fires in their respective 

 districts and take immediate and active steps toward their ex- 

 tinguishment and assist in apprehending offenders against the 

 forest fire law, which is as follows : 



Sec. 496. Every person who wilfully, maliciously or negligently 

 sets on fire or causes or procures to be set on fire any woods, brush, 

 prairies, grass, grain or stubble on any lands not owned, leased or 

 controlled by him; and every person who wilfully, maliciously or 

 negligently allows a fire to escape from land owned, leased or con- 

 trolled by him whereby any property of another is injured or des- 

 troyed; and every person who accidentally sets or causes to be set 

 any fire on land not owned, leased or controlled by him, or sets or 

 causes to be set any fire on land owned,'leased or controlled by him, 

 which spreads to the land of another, and allows said fire to escape 

 from his control without using every effort to extinguish it, shall 

 be deemed guiltv of a misdemeanor and liable to a fine of not less 



