The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-07

no special provision for giving effect
to the Act. And it is manifest that it
is not a self-operative statute. There
is general appropriation of $4,000
for Government surveying for the
entire biennial period, but we are
quite within bounds, and we speak
with some practical knowledge of the
subject, when we say that the ma
chinery of the Homestead law cannot
be brought into successful operation
at less sum than the figure which
the Legislature deemed sufficient for
the entire surveys of the Kingdom
during the current biennial period.
But the Government has not been
unnindful of its duty in the premises,
as far as it has been possible to give
effect to the policy of the law. In
structions were issued early in the
year to Mr.. J. F. Brown, competent
surveyor, well acquainted with the
land system of the Kingdom, to in
vestigate and find out what Govern
ment lands remain available for
settlement under the Homestead law,
where located, the acreage, position,
boundaries and possibilities; in short,
to make complete record of all the
Government land of the Kingdom,
their accessibility as to roads, water
and other particulars which an intel
ligent application of the law in ques-
tfon render imperative.
It will be seen, therefore, that a
great deal of preliminary or "dead''
work must be done, because, although
it was originally contemplated when
the Surveying Bureau was estab-
lished, that just the class of work
upon which Mr.. Brown is engaged
should be set about and carried out, it
somehow drifted into the scientific to
the neglect of the practical, resulting
in the production of most creditable
charts and maps and able reports,
none of which, however, are directly
available as aids in carrying out the
Homestead law. This remark applies
more to the past, however, inasmuch
as the survey Of the Islands now in
progress is of an eminently practical
character.
Mr.. J. F. Brown has made consider
able progress in the preliminary
branch of his investigations. A great
deal of the information required must
be gathered from the maps and records
of the Survey office and the ancient
records of the Kingdom. These are
being gone through carefully, ar
ranged, scheduled and indexed, and
very satisfactory progress has been
made, the chief and officers of the
Survey Department cordially assist
ing Mr.. Brown in his special work.
When this has been perfected, which
will be in a few months, Mr.. J. F.
Brown will go into the field and
locate the boundaries of each block of
Government land SO ascertained, re-
porting fully upon its position, the
quality of the land, and suitability
for settlement, together with other
points covered by his letter of instruc-
tions from the Minister of the In
terror, which shows a clear and COM
rrehensive conception of the work to
be accomplished and an earnest desire
to promote the bona J5de settlement
of the country.
Between seven and eight hundred
applications for land have been re-
ceived by the Minister of the Interior,
but it is impossible to go blindly to
work and dispose of the residue of the
public land without reference to per-
manent settlement conditions or the
future prosperity of the country. In
SO RETAINING from hasty action we
think the Minister of the Interior
exercises wise discretion.
The Marshal Raids a Gambling House.