The Pacific Commercial Advertiser

KAU FOREST RESERVE
Two Planting Companies Praised for Public Spiritedness.

At a meeting of the Board of Agriculture and Forestry yesterday afternoon, a forest reserve of 75,000 acres in the District of Kau, Island of Hawaii, was recommended to the Governor for proclamation. In its report on the subject, the Committee on Forestry highly commend the Hutchinson Co. and the Hawaiian Agricultural Co. for public spirited action in protecting the forests.

There were present at the meeting L. A. Thurston, president; C. S. Holloway, secretary; A. W. Carter, W. M. Giffard, J. F. Brown and G. P. Wilder.

Following are the committee's report and the resolution on the Kau forest reserve:

COMMITTEE'S REPORT.

Honolulu, T. H., June 6, 1906.

Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, Honolulu, Oahu.

Gentlemen: Your Committee on Forestry have had under consideration the report of Ralph S. Hosmer, Superintendent of Forestry, dated March 31, 1906, recommending the establishment of a forest reserve in the District of Kau. After giving the matter careful consideration your committee approve of the recommendation of the said report and recommend that the Governor be requested to declare the area therein recommended to be a forest reserve, and to set apart the government lands lying within the boundaries of such proposed reserve, which are available for such purpose, as a forest reservation.

Your committee note with pleasure and commendation the public and enlightened spirit in which the Hawaiian Agricultural Company and the Hutchinson Plantation Company have treated the forest question in this district. The great bulk of the lands involved in this proposed reservation are under long term leases to the two corporations in question, which leases are about to expire, with no assurance that the present lessees will again secure the lands. Notwithstanding this fact and that they were paying rent on the land in forest, the two corporations in question have fenced out large forest areas from stock and have largely developed the water supply on the same, by means of tunnels and ditches, and have built lengthy and expensive fences for the sole and express purpose of preserving the forest.

The Hutchinson Company has built 17 miles of fence and the Hawaiian Agricultural Company, 35 miles of fence in this connection, at their own expense and without cost to the government. As a result of this wise policy the forest enclosed has not only held its own but has recovered and reforested a large area which had become more or less damaged by cattle; while a large amount of water has been developed where practically no water available for economical purposes previously existed.

If the same enlightened policy were pursued throughout the Territory it would greatly simplify the forest problem and redound to the public benefit.

Your committee herewith present a resolution for the purpose of carrying this recommendation into effect.

We remain,
Your obedient servants,
L. A. THURSTON.
ALFRED W. CARTER.
W. M. GIFFARD.

THE RESOLUTION.

Resolved, That all those certain lands in the District of Kau, Island of Hawaii, bounded in general terms as follows:

Lying on the lower southern slope of Mauna Loa, bounded on the west and north by the land of Kahuku, on the east by the forest fence erected within the land of Kapapala by the Hawaiian Agricultural Company, and on the south by a line drawn across the various lands back of Pahala and Hutchinson plantations, at approximately the lower edge of the existing forest, and containing an approximate area of 75,000 acres, as recommended by a report of the Committee on Forestry dated June 6, 1906, based on a report of the Superintendent of Forestry, dated March 31, 1906, both of which reports are on file in the office of the Board of Agriculture and Forestry, the boundaries of which proposed reservation more particularly appear by and on a map and description made in May, 1906, by the Hawaiian Government Survey Department, which said map is on file in said Survey Department and marked "Registered Map number 2361," a copy of which said map and description are now on file in the office of this Board and made a part hereof, be approved as a forest reserve, to be called the Kau Forest Reserve.

Resolved, That the Board recommend to the Governor that the government lands lying within the boundaries of the said proposed Kau Forest Reserve be set apart by him, subject to vested rights therein, after the hearing required by law, as the Kau Forest Reserve.