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Mr. FORBES. Yes, and from the fact we have no protection from the sea westerly. If this west breakwater is constructed in all probability the board of harbor commissioners will purchase the railroad wharf and will extend it so that larger vessels may go up to it and take on and discharge their cargoes. Around the entire coast of Maui, Kahului is the only port where a vessel can approach the wharf and only a small vessel at that. As I stated before, with one or two exceptions, vessels lie in open roadsteads, loading and unloading cargoes and discharging and receiving passengers while the vessels roll in the trough of the sea.

Mr. DRISCOLL. How many miles of wharves have you there?
Mr. FORBES. At Kahului?

Mr. DRISCOLL. Yes.

Mr. FORBES. There is one small wharf, the property of the railroad, valued at approximately $60,000.

Mr. DRISCOLL. How long is it?

Mr. FORBES. It is about 250 feet long and has been offered to the board of harbor commissioners for $30,000.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, there is another project in this report here. Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir. Nawiliwili, on the Island of Kauai.

The CHAIRMAN. Is it Kauai?

Mr. FORBES. Kauai.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the other one?

Mr. FORBES. That is the one we refer to, Nawiliwili.

The CHAIRMAN. That would cost $200,000.

merce.

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir; and, like Kahului, has the support and recommendation of the United States Army Engineers, and our people of Kauai pray that your committee will give this much needed improvement your favorable consideration. Could you realize the danger of disembarking along the Kauai coast at night at an open roadstead you would readily recognize that we are absolutely without any protection to the lives of passengers and the handling of our comIn the so-called bay of Nawiliwili, situated on the southeastern coast of the Island of Kauai, is a reef extending north and south, inside of which is a basin of considerable area, consisting of several deep water channels with shoals between, but not accessible to vessels under present conditions, as harbor improvements by the Federal Government have never been undertaken there. Owing to the difficulties and delays encountered through the necessity of vessels lying at such a great distance from the landing Nawiliwili was once abandoned and an effort made to use Hanamaulu, and at this point a landing and a warehouse was erected from which all freight and sugar was handled to better advantage than at Nawiliwili. The merchants and farmers of this section, not having a similar advantage as the plantations at Hanamaulu, have been compelled to continue the use of Nawiliwili. You will realize, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the much needed improvement of a breakwater at Nawiliwili.

The Federal Government and residents of Kauai realize that Nawiliwili Bay is the logical point for harbor development. breakwater and the necessary dredging at this port would afford safety to shipping and encourage commerce. It would also afford a terminal for the projected Kapaa Railroad, and within a short time would become the distributing point for upward of 200,000

tons per annum, for the reason that upon the completion of desired harbor facilities and improvements all commerce and passenger service would revert to Nawiliwili and would afford a long-felt want for making direct shipments to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States. Exhaustive reports on this subject are to be found in Document No. 609, Sixty-second Congress, of the House of Representatives. In addition to this argument for the breakwater at Nawiliwili it might be well to state that rock for this purpose is immediately available at the proposed site, and this work could go on uninterrupted, and the Territorial government (the people of Kauai and the people of Maui) realize keenly the importance of these projects, and we pray for your earnest and immediate and favorable consideration. I would state that since annexation the custom and internal revenue receipts paid to the Federal Government have been approximately $22,000,000, and when you realize that the Territory of Hawaii is subject to Executive proclamation we feel you will have no hesitancy in supporting these projects.

All the Hawaiian Islands suffer greatly from the lack of harbor protection, the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., handle approximately 15,000 passengers per annum. And all of them, except the passengers for Hilo, on the island of Hawaii, and Kahului, on the island of Maui, are obliged to disembark in open roadsteads. It is extremely dangerous, and only recently an accident occurred when discharging passengers in the open roadstead, in which the boat upset and two lives were lost.

It is not an uncommon occurrence that vessels frequently have to go by their places of destination, have to turn back and can not enter the ports on account of the lack of protection, and this is especially true of the two locations now under discussion. The board of harbor commissioners through the Territorial Legislature have had appropriated the sum of approximately $900,000 for harbor improvement. The last unit under this appropriatiton is now under course of construction in the way of a reinforced concrete wharf in Honolulu at the foot of Fourth Street.

The CHAIRMAN. Who owns the frontage there?

Mr. FORBES. At Kahului, the railroad company.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there a municipality-a city or town contiguous to this harbor?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir; the town of Kahului and the town of Waluku. The entire island is the county of Maui.

The CHAIRMAN. Does the municipality own any of the terminal facilities?

Mr. FORBES. The municipalities of the Hawaiian Islands own no harbor property. It is all vested in the Territory.

The CHAIRMAN. Does the Territory take care of the wharves or anything of the kind?

Mr. FORBES. It does. The Territory owns all the wharves except seven. Three are owned by the railroad on the island of Oahu, two on the island of Hawaii, two on the island of Kauai. The rest of the wharves are under the control and maintained by the Territorial Government.

The CHAIRMAN. Can you give us some idea of the percentage of space and facilities owned by the Territory?

Mr. FORBES. The Territory owns about 85 per cent of the wharfage, and the balance is owned by private interests. Of course I speak of wharf property only.

The CHAIRMAN. You refer to the board of harbor commissioners, what is their jurisdiction?

Mr. FORBES. It is a commission created by the legislature consisting of five persons, one of whom is the superintendent of public works, who is chairman ex officio as well as the engineer of the board. I have here the jurisdiction, power, and duties as defined in chapter 4949 of the Revised Laws of 1915 and as amended by act 169 of the Session Laws of 1915. I might say, however, that we are asking Congress to amend the organic act so that all lands or water front property would be under the control of the board. This law was passed by the Territory Legislature at the 1915 session. As the law now stands we can not improve water-front property unless the title is vested in the Territory.

The CHAIRMAN. You mean public lands owned by the Territory? Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir; owned by the Territory.

The CHAIRMAN. Does this board of harbor commissioners have jurisdiction of the improvement of water fronts or terminals?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir, they have; and are responsible for the improvements. They work in cooperation with the United States engineers.

The CHAIRMAN. You spoke of a great percentage of the water front being owned by the Territory?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. This board of harbor commissioners has jurisdiction to improve the water front?

Mr. FORBES. They have jurisdiction over Government water front. Mr. SMALL. I do not understand in answer to the question of the chairman to what extent the harbor commissioners have improved the water front or whether they have constructed terminals?

Mr. FORBES. They have constructed all the Government wharves and the terminals throughout the Territory. They have done such dredging as is necessary, installed water and oil-pipe lines on the larger wharves that vessels might take on fuel with a greater degree of speed. And previous to my coming to Washington the board awarded a contract in the sum of $385,000 for the construction of a new reinforced concrete wharf. In addition to this, perhaps an equal sum will be spent in the construction of sheds and conveying machinery.

Mr. SMALL. Where?

Mr. FORBES. In Honolulu. I might mention at this time our revenues are insufficient to make further improvements of this character.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the total revenues of the island?

Mr. FORBES. About $3,000,000.

The CHAIRMAN. The total annual revenue?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir. And our population is about 227,000.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the value of all the property on the is

lands as listed for the purposes of taxation?

Mr. FORBES. The value of the property in the entire islands?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes, sir.

Mr. FORBES. Do you mean just the real estate?
The CHAIRMAN. O, no; all the property?

Mr. BURGESS. All the property that is taxable?

Mr. FORBES. The taxable property is in the neighborhood of $177,000,000. A portion of which is exempt.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that property taxed at that figure?

Mr. FORBES. No; I think it is based on a 60 per cent valuation, but I am not sure.

The CHAIRMAN. Then, if you have one hundred million of property you have about a sixty million dollar tax roll?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir.

Mr. SMALL. To what extent are your cultivated lands owned by corporations?

Mr. FORBES. About 75 per cent, roughly speaking.

Mr. SMALL. And the rest by individuals?

Mr. FORBES. Yes; and the Government.

The CHAIRMAN. What have you to say in regard to the other improvement at Nawiliwili?

Mr. FORBES. Nawiliwili is just as dangerous a place, if not more so, than Kahului. Like Kahului the harbor is shoaling up and absolutely unprotected and vessels at this port are always in a practically open roadstead. Every port on Kauai is treacherous and dangerous and the only solution to a safe harbor is the construction of a breakwater at Nawiliwili. This project has been approved by United States Army engineers, and the people of the Territory of Hawaii pray for your favorable action on this project. Vessels coming to Kauai very frequently can not discharge or take on cargoes because of the unprotected ports. And delays to our cargoes and the discomfort to passengers is of great annoyance.

The CHAIRMAN. It is reported that in 1912 the commerce of the island was about 161,000 tons valued at $8,500,000. Has it increased any since?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir; and it will continue to increase.

Mr. TREADWAY. I believe that you said that 75 per cent of the project was owned by a corporation?

Mr. FORBES. Seventy-five per cent of the lands, etc., belong to a corporation.

Mr. TREADWAY. What part of the 75 per cent are American corporations?

Mr. FORBES. At this particular place it is entirely an American institution.

Mr. TREADWAY. Less than half is American owned? Or do you means that 75 per cent was American?

Mr. FORBES. Speaking of the entire incorporated institutions of the Territory, it would be, I think, safe to state that 75 per cent of the entire developed area of the Territory of Hawaii is strictly American.

Mr. TREADWAY. Whether incorporation or private ownership?
Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir.

Mr. DRISCOLL. The same interest that owns 75 per cent of the Territory, do they likewise own the steamboat line you spoke of?

Mr. FORBES. No, sir. The Matson Steam Navigation Co. has some plantation interests; and when the shipping industry developed this mariner of Hawaii began the development of what is to-day a

representation of about $10,000,000 worth of American bottoms belonging to the Matson Steamship Co. and plying between San Francisco and the Hawaiian Islands. Capt. Matson has recently awarded a contract to the Union Iron Works for another vessel that will cost approximately a million and one-half dollars, and in addition to the vessels calling at Honolulu, the Great Northern, an American bottom, belonging to the Hill Lines, has entered a 20-day service between San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the Hawaiian Islands. This vessel has a capacity for some 800 passengers, and a cargo space for about 1,500 tons.

Mr. SMALL. How much vessel carriage does the $10,000,000 represent?

Mr. FORBES. I would say, approximately, 50,000 tons.

Mr. DRISCOLL. How high do they run?

Mr. FORBES. From four to nine thousand tons. The American Hawaiian vessels are about 9,000 tons, and the Oceanic Steamship Co.'s vessels are 10,000 tons.

Mr. DRISCOLL. Are these individually owned?

Mr. FORBES. Owned by American companies. We have also a large lumber trade in Hawaii, and a very large coal trade. It might be interesting to you to know that, except in Honolulu and Hilo, coal and lumber is lightered or discharged in small surf boats in the open roadstead. You would recognize the dangers of such methods in transporting commerce and you would likewise be surprised at the amount of hard work in the maneuvering of these boats in the surf; this requires great skill, and it is a sight of great astonishment to witness our young Hawaiians maneuvering these boats back and forth from early in the morning until night.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the nature of a port charge?
Mr. FORBES. I believe there is a Federal port charge of $5.

The CHAIRMAN. What does that cover?

Mr. FORBES. The port charge, I believe, is collected by the customs and is not under the jurisdiction of the Territorial government. The CHAIRMAN. I wish you would explain that.

Mr. FORBES. All I know is that it is payable to the Federal Gov

ernment.

The CHAIRMAN. On imports?

Mr. FORBES. I do not know.. It does not come under our jurisdiction.

The CHAIRMAN. That is not strictly a port charge?

Mr. FORBES. I believe it is listed as a port charge. We have our charges, of course, for vessels lying alongside of Government

wharves.

The CHAIRMAN. That is the ordinary customs charge?

Mr. FORBES. Yes. sir.

The CHAIRMAN. On imports?

Mr. FORBES. It might be for that purpose, but I know it as a port charge.

Mr. HUMPHREY (of Washington). It is a specific charge of $5? Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Collected from the vessel?

Mr. FORBES. Yes, sir. I suppose the master of the vessel goes to the customhouse after he enters or when he clears, and I believe that is where he pays the charge of $5.

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