The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-10-18
Our Public Lands.

We believe that to a great extent the
lands originally belonging to the Govern
ment have been disposed of either by
sale or lease on terms which, as we may
say without exception, have been favor
able and satisfactory to those who have
purchased or leased them. As we are in
formed, nearly all the public lands which
are available for agricultural or grazing
purposes have thus been disposed of, either
by sale or on long leases.
In some instances very large tracts
of land amounting to many thousand
acres have been secured by planters
or graziers either by purchase or lease,
and are now occupied by fourishing es-
Establishments. In certain localities where
the land is well adapted to agriculture,
it may have been advisable to have leased
or otherwise disposed of public lands in
smaller quantities to single individuals, or
companies, thus giving small farmers and
persons of limited means opportunities
which they do not now enjoy of entering
into the cultivation of the soil on those
lands on a scale commensurate with their
means 1t is however known that in sugar
growing countries small estates are the
exception, it being generally considered
that large estates are necessary to make
the cultivation of that commodity pay
ing one. The great expense of the neces-
sary machinery for taking off the crop has
prevented small sugar estates from pay
ing. In regard to grazing estates it may
be said that although small runs for stock
which are properly managed, might be
made profitable, yet in many of the graz
ing districts, the uncertainty of pasture on
small estates is such that large tracts
of land are necessary to the grazier in
order to insure success. We do not know
OF any good grazing lands in the country
which are not more or less stocked, and it
is therefore difficult for those coming here
to engage in the business, whether they
are capitalists or not, to obtain desirable
lands without obtaining them from private
parties. There rs not much doubt that
private lands may be purchased or that
leases may be secured, from the parties
who hold them, for consideration, but
such consideration must be such as will
satisfy the holder of the lands or leases
No matter how abundantly able the per-
son may be who desires to obtain piece
of land, to add to the products of the
country by expanding large sums of money
in improving and multiplying stock, he
must first, if he desires public or private
lands, pay fair price for them, or if he
leases, pay rent which experience teaches
them to be worth.
It is certainly not possible, however
desirable it may be, in country like this,
having an area Of but a few thousand
square miles, to be as generous of the pub
lie domain as countries are which count
their hundreds of thousands and perhaps
and those who talk of giving
away land, even for the purpose of attract
ing capital to the country, seem to us
not TO fully appreciate the bearings of the
case here
1t would also appear that those who
are interested in increasing the pros
perity Of the country-and who is not ?
might assist greatly to that end by encour-
aging, in every possible way, an increased
agricultural production among the Hawai-
ians, nearly all of whom have lands of /
their own. Could any efectual means be
taken to add TO the industry of the people /
to an extent which would develop the
resources of the country as they might be
developed by that means, it is doubtful if I
The introduction of foreign capital other !
than as return for Hawaiian productions, i
would be at all necessary for the prospe-
,ity of the country.