The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-07-01
1s2,Ol3.5l
S2l6,364 SO

You will perceive, referring to the above table,
that the quantity of land sold during the past years
is not so large that sold previously; and would
add that nearly all the Patents for real estate granted
In 1886 and 81 for lands sold by the Land
Agents in 1854 and 80, but for which they did not
receive payment until the time the patents
issued In July, 1856, consequence of the decrease
of the value of Real Estate and the low prices OBJ
tained for pieces of land offered at auction,
notified all the government Land Agents that they
were to sell more land until further notice. The
law regulating the sale of lands passed by the Legs
lature in 1851 was doubt, framed to encourage
capitalists to purchase land and improve the same
well to benefit such natives who had no land COM
mission awards, such who required more land
than what had been awarded them; but it has been
ascerained that considerable portion OF the govern
ment lands sold, instead of being cultivated or i'm
proved by the original purchasers, has been held by
them for speculation. | therefore consider that IL
will be advantageous to the government TO lease
its lands at low rate than to sell them at the ruin
prices that have been lately obtained for, by
doing, the government will receive certain yearly
revenue from the lands, while capitalists will be able
TO obtain the leases of them on very easy terms.
I would not. however, recommend that law should
be passed forbdding the sale of government lands,
because occasions may occur, and l hope they will
not be 9 few and far between in the past when
ii will be advisable 10 encourage practical men and
bona fi2e settlers by selling them the lands applied
for fee simple. If such lands lie iillow, hold it
better that, instead of lying fow private property
they should do government property; rs in that
tier who Is willing TO benefit the country well rs
himself by their improV ement.
| would recommend that much of the law re-
ating the Fort lands passed 10y the Legislature in
1851 that prescrbes that such lands be sold by the
Minister of the Interior auction be repealed, and
that the Fort lands be placed ut the disposal of the
Minister of the Interior the terms other
government lands My reason for this Is, that find
a considerable portion of the said lands is under
cultivation by poor people who are willing TO pay
fair yearly for the same. but who have means
of purchasing their lots if offered at auction. and in
this would probably be turned of without any
means of support.
In my report TO the Legislature of 1856, suggested
that law should be passed. authorizing me TO grant
Patents to those parties who had given evidence be-
fore the Land Commission, and whose CLAIMS had
ne er been disputed also those parties who owned
lands described in the Buce .ndheie, but who had
never received any awards for the in cvnse-
ouence of their lands having been surveyei thv
paving all expenses for surveys, communication anu
fees patentng- No action was, however, taken oy
the Legislature the subject, and, in the absence oi
any direct law, the following principles were laid
down by me. viz that, with the consent of the King
in Privy Council those whose claims not objected
to by the konohikis, any other parties and those
konohks who neglected to take out land commission
awards for their lands described in the Buke .Naheie,
entitled, in equity, to fee simple titles for their
lands on paying all costs of commutation, patents,
&c. provided they had always held possession of the
lands they claned as, although under the law, their
rights were forfeited IL would not have been just for
the government to have taken advantage of their
ignorance and remissness.
During the years 1856 and 81. 81 ,920 "a have
been received by the second clerk of this office from
the following sources:
For land commission awards Including debts s76O "a
certified copies and searches. 159 90