The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-10-30
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
OCTOBER 80

~
The increased interest shown in agricultural
pursuits in this group, leads us to devote a col
uIDn or two of our space to a subject of impor-
lance to agriculturists. Now while land is
being sought for, in almost every part Of the
islands, while there is an impetus given to indus
trial pursuits, it is all important that land own
ers and especially the government, should take
q liberal view of the subject, and open into the
market for actual cultivation, all the idle lands,
while such a course will serve the public welfare,
and react to the prosperity of the government.
Some persons advocate the leasing of lands in
this country as more advantageous than purchas-
ing the fee-simple. In some instances, perhaps,
1t would be so, such as for pasturage or the cul-
tivatiOn of rice, where no permanent improve
ments are required, and there is no outlay except
for labor to plant and harvest, and the lessor
gains nothing except the rental and impoverished
land at the reyersion of his lease. But it GER
tainly would be bad policy for a farmer or plan
ter TO lease wild lands when so many substantial
improvements upon them are necessary to his
success and welfare. Unimproved lands have
none or only a nominal value, and to have the
improvements, such as are necessary to IA sugar
plantation, revert, without remuneration to the
lessor, would be a ~palpable wrong to the lessee,
for the Improvements would probably be worth
from Fifty to one hundred times the value of the
original wild land.
To individual hakuainas or landlords we have
nothing to say respecting the mode of disposal of
their lands but to government, as taxpayers.
we have n right, respectfully, to speak a word.
1t would be more profitable for government to
giUe lis land Oa and out to the planter, farmer
or ranchero even, than to lease them upon any
terms ever yet devised by lawyers and that les
sees would accept. When a person owns the fee
simple of his plantation, he is not likely to be
stingy in his OUTLAWS for improvements, knowing
that they are valuable not only to himself and
heirs but also in case he wishes to realize for cash
or other property, providing always that govern
ment is sound and markets healthy.
4 sugar plantation of two thousand acres of
good land and properly underway, is intrinsic
ally worth one hundred thousand dollars,
government is sound or not, and if the
improvements are kept in repair, and a proper
system of rotation or alienation and manuring
is pursued, it will always increase instead of d-
minish in value. At the present tax of TWEEN
cents on the one hundred dollars, it would
yield to the government exchequer q revenue Of
hundred and fifty dollars per annum for
zach pldnIdllOn, besides q tax OF from one TO
three thousand dollars yearly in the shape of
duties on merchandise for plantation use under
present tariff. The government would scarcely
have the face to ask more than ten cents per acre
per annum rent for so large 4 tract rs two thou
sand acres of wild land, even if they could find
'ne simple enough to pay that. The yearly rent
would amount to two hundred dollars. Such a
'~impleton would soon comprehend, after COM
his work, that substantial improve
nents accrued to the benefit of others and not to
himself and his children he would, therefore,
ret along with the very least expense possible,
compatible with money making, leaving an e-
lausted soil and worthless buildings to govern
nent at the expiration of his lease. The rent
n this case would be less than the property tax,
the other, government could not expect both
ent and property taxi and it is fair TO suppose
lis consumption of merchandise would be less
nd at the end OF the lease, the government,
much trouble, has gained an exhausted
which 1t would be glad to give away
Fith the hope of gaining something through in
reased consumption of dutiable merchandise,
nd property tax.
As an illustration of this, we may refer to
fakahanaiOa and Papaiko, once the richest lands
4 the district of Hilo. They were leased by
.'hinamen, that is to say, they leased Just so
luch rs they wished to plant with cane and no
lore, selecting all the richest spots from sea to
GODS, land a Chinaman knows good soil when j
e sees it.) They pursued the celestial method {
T cultivating by hand, and we will do them the t
lstice TO say, that no people on earth know how L
take the cream out of soil, or relinquish it If I
ley choose, equal to them. They put up build Q
rs -har loGgaA ,uOE y. - H. .lz.- lz- n
and as there were no alienation of crops, L
ley managed to take the last drop of saceha- L
re from the soil the same day. 1t is doubtful =
white beams will grow on those lands now or :
T twenty years 10 come. For twenty years, b
the landlords may go without receiving Is
nts, and it will serve them right, it is among &c
e Jusfe niHieu of all things. d" Dog in tho r
never got fat. 81