Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 493, 10 January 1902 — HAWAII'S SUGAR AFFAIRS DISCUSSED [ARTICLE]

HAWAII'S SUGAR AFFAIRS DISCUSSED

Honolulu. Hawaii. December 4 Tb< r< is apparently no change in • eather conditions on any of the islands for the past week. The dry spell on Hawaii is probably over for years U> come. and there is plenty of rain on ail the islands. Tin- showing made by some of the plantations, in fact the most of them ttiv month, has not been as good as s year ago this month. The dividends un tin- Honokaa plantation have been entirely cut off because of the loss *iiuh the severe Hamakua drought ♦mailed. The Kwa plantation paid ■ \idcnds aggregating fr.ooun this m nth, Waimanalo. $5,000. Oahu. $15.00**. and Kabuku $5,000. There is a promise however, of bigg- r dividends for ui< next month. There is a feeling of b tter times among the planters and of bigger dividends all the way through, as no large expenditures for machinery and improvements are anti* ipatc-d for the coming year. Expert From Washington. Frank E. Coerper, an agricultural d* partraent expert fn m Washington s here making investigations, pre sumahly a; th<‘ instance of President It >scvel; He has been collecting statistics as to the availability of the lands owned by the sugar planters, for th* r:* -ing « f crops other than sugar His mission Ls a secret one. but enough is known to state that he will ti d rep rt in favor of the admission of Chin* se. He says that within another year, that cane machinery wflV i>c perfected which will do with on. white man. the work that it now takes five Asiatics to accomplish, lar. 1 Smith, chi f in charge of the local experini' nt station for the gov♦rnm* nt has also received instructions bv wire to forward immediately ■ II possible information concerning diversified industries in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor Sugar Lands. The sugar planters generally are Interested in the trial of the Pearl

Harbor condemnation suits, because of the fa< t that sugar lands are being taken and exceedingly- absurd values are placed on tht*m by the government experts. The Bishop estate owns 600 acres of cane land which the United States is taking for use as a naval station. and in the suit now on trial in tiie courts here, alleged experts placed the value of this land at from $5 to $5O an acre. It is admitted that the land will produce eight tons of sugar to the acre, and the Bishop estate claims the property to he worth six hundred dollars an acre. Work at Olaa Plantation. The second largest sugar mill in Hawaii has been started in operation at Olaa plantation on Hawaii. Steam was raised in the mill today but it will not be in full operation for about three weeks, and having a capacity of 1750 tons each twenty-four hours, it will be the largest in the territory except the Spreckelsville mill. Cutting of the immense crop of 440'' acres on Olaa will begin in about two weeks. Mtogether there are about IS,OOO acres in cane, and this plantation will be one of the greatest producers on the islands within a few years. Government Entomologist. Prof. A. Koebele. the government entomologist, is making a tour of the plantations on Hawaii looking for cane borers. He has recommended the fumigation of every cane plant brought into the territory to prevent the introduction of destructive pests from other places. The news that the contract for the first section of cable to Honolulu had been let. was received w ith mu. h gratification here. With the coming of the cable it is believed that all Hawaiian securities will be listed on th" Eastern stock exchanges, which is now impossible owing to Hawaii's isolated position. News brought by the Niihau from Kauai is that there are 5.167 bags of sugar ready for shipment, at the various ports of that island. KANAKA.