The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1883-05-23
Letter from Rev H. H. Parker.

EDITOR GAzETTE:-Will YOU kindly allow space
III your columns for the following statement Of
facts relative to the case discussed by NJ. Rose,
IN last weeks issue % the GAZITTE- have no de
sire to enter into any controversy, and am not to
be drawn into n quarrel with any man. But il
seems 10 me proper that these facts should be
placed before those who may have read the state
meut OF Mr.. Rose:
The Rev. b. W. Parker. my father. died in March
loU. Very shortly thereafter. some natives from
haneohe represented 10 me that they had negotia-
ted with him for the purchase of piece of land
Tor tye hundred dollars that they had paid four
hundred dollars, and that they desired to pay the
balance Of one hundred dollars and have the land.
The natives produced -four receipts. representing
the money said TO have been paid by them on &C
count of the land; said receipts, as nov recOect
were dated some eight or ten years previous TO the
time of their presentation. ] told the natives /
did not know that any sale of the land had been
made or that any agreement TO sell had been made:
that my father had rented the land by the wear to
a company Of natives in kaneOhe: that search
would be made among his papers for any notes or
memoranda that might bear on the question, and
that his heirs would endeavor to carry out his in
tentlons whatever they were. The natives express
ed themselves satisfied. Sometime after, they re-
turned to ask If anything had been ascertained
about the land. / told them we had found
notes of 1t, but would look further. as there was
quantity of old papers and books in the study that
had not yet been looked over They then said
they did not care for the land but desired to have
their money returned. was somewhat surprised
had said before. that whatever just claim they
had would be fully satisfied. In the mean time.
one of the company had asked my permission TO
live on the land, stating that nv father had given
her and her husband leave to remove their house
from an adjoining Kuleana onto the place, where
an old servant of the family had previously lived.
Permission was granted.
Not long after, the natives put in their request
for the money represented by the receipts they
held. | WIS Al kaneohe and met Mr.. Rose. be
asked me If l intended to pay any money TO IA
mai and Others for receipts they heidi my fathers
name. 1t was the first intimation had that Rose
knew anything il the matter. 1 replied that l
should very likely do SO; that the natives repre-
seuted that they had paid the money TO purchase
the land of Lipuna, but would like to have the
money refunded and release their claim on the land
About two weeks after this conversation, if my
memory is right, WAS AGAIN at kaneohe. when
one Of the natives interested told me that Rose had
offered them fifty dollars more than the sum rep
resented on their receipts II thew would sell their
papers to him. | went to Rose and told him what /
the native said, and asked him if it true He /
said, Yes, III give them fifty dollars more than
any one else, and If you offer fifty dollars I'll put
fifty on top of that, for I'm bound to have them.
then said, Mr.. Rose, you acting for yourself
or for some other person." He replied, d" do all .
such Jobs for Mr. -" Not very long before .
the case came into court Mr.. Rose said he would .
settle with me If / would pay him two thousand (
dollars in cash. Since the trial he has caused to
be circulated among the natives, papers for their
signatures calculated to arouse the worst feelings
and appealing to the lowest prejudices. One of
the papers were signed by some who now say they
did not know what it was, as it was written in
English while the signatures of others were APP
pended without their consent.
In the transaction alluded to IN these lines, |
have done nothing that / am ashamed to have
known nothing that / would undo if could. aud
nothing that would not do over again in like cir
cumstances, my conscience bearing witness to the
integrity Of my whole purpose in the matter.
II. II. PARKER.
Honolulu, May y, 1888