10 
allowed to trespass at all in our water sheds, should be alto- 
gether confined to the ridges where ran the ancient trails of 
the natives in olden days. ; 
What are we to expect of Nature when man so wilfully, or 
is it ignorantly, defies and interferes with her course, especially 
when as in this particular instance the matter is of paramount 
importance to the City of Honolulu and its environs? What 
are we going to do in the very near future for a normal water 
supply if such lack of foresight on the part of the Govern- 
ment and of its citizens continues? Are we to trust to Provi- 
dence in this as in other things? 
It is quite certain that with the continued dying back of 
what little indigenous forest remains on the mountains back 
of Honolulu, and with the worse conditions of erosion which 
are taking place, the “run-off” from precipitation will be 
more than is now bargained for. In such case what is going 
to feed the springs and artesian wells upon which we absolutely 
depend for a normal supply of water?. Even now the slightest 
appearance of dry weather indicates a great falling off in the 
water supply and this is immediately followed by a threatened 
curtailment for the time being of water rights. 
If the agriculturists on this and the other islands are de- 
pendent on water for irrigation purposes, as they surely are, 
then it behooves them systematically to protect the forest and 
prevent disturbance of the conditions which conserve such sup- 
plies. 
If the people of Honolulu desire to be assured of a constant 
future supply of water for domestic and other uses then simi- 
lar protection must be enforced as to the mountains back of 
this ‘city. 
That this is by no means too highly colored a picture is prov- 
ed by the following official figures, compiled by the Territorial 
Department of Public Works: 
Petes betta bus dan 350,000,000 gallons of water are 
an annual a eer nae of fence ae male 
““The annual consumption of en ee 
Shafter and Diamond Head (Honolulu) from flowing and 
pumped wells 1s more or less 12,700,000,000 gallons, thes dake 
consumption being about 35,000,000 gallons. We believe the 
amount of water actually leaving the artesian basin is more 
than this, owing to leakage through defective casing, ete, 
