The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1886-10-26

TUESDAY, OCTOBER a6, 1886
COLONIZATION.

An act of the Legislature Of 1884,
ito facilitate the requirement and set
tlement Of homesteads," gave rise to an
earnest discussion in the newspapers
en- the prospects and advantages of
increasing the small farming population
of the Kingdom. In that discussion
there was perhaps nothing said that had
not been uttered over and over again
in the local press during many years
previously. Yet the failing Of the flush
times of high sugar prices made the
matter a more vital one than it evet
was before, and the agitation assumed
so persistent tone that men of large
stakes in the counFy became openly
interested in the question. Different
large landholders announced their read
mess to part with large tracts, for GER
tain considerations, to have them de-
voted to colonization purposes. A COM
pany was formed to accept one of these
chances, and the organization is to-day
alive and seeking the requisite capital,
with fair prospects of success, to launch
its scheme. During the period, also,
the Government then existing was not
oblivious of its duties under the act
referred to. Mr. Gulick, Minister Of
the Interior, detailed a portion of the
Government Survey to ASCERTAIN how
much and what kind of public lands
there were available for settlement.
The report Of the detachment showed
that only comparatively small portion
of Government lands could be cult
vated by settlers of small means. Still,
the report was satisfactory in showing
the extent and nature of the public
domain. Under ordinary methods Of
colonization large proportion Of those
lands are to be regarded as impractical
BILE of turning to account. Yet, in a
climate like that of Hawaii, land is worth
making extraordinary efforts to subdue
to the use of humanity. Therefore,
should success crown the large schemes
of cultivation of private lands, as there
is reason to hope will be the case,
much Of what Is now regarded as utterly
useless land belonging to the Govern.
ment would be largely sought by
capitalists.
There Is no enterprise, 1t is safe to
say, which has ever been mooted in
these Islands of more Importance to
the permanent welfare of the nation
than the colonization scheme now be-
fore the public, 1t is regrettable that
people, in some cases likely to be
among the first to benefit largely from
its success, should affect to treat the
scheme in the Indifferent, not to say
scornful manner that they do. When
people say that nothing can come Of
the project, they exhibited a want OF
information, both as to what has been
done in this country in the reclamation
of waste land and as to what is doing
at the present moment in other coun-
tries in that respect. Enormous out
lays are being made in the Australian
Colonies and in California to render
deserts cultivable by irrigation. Thus
Victoria has divided a vast tract into
ten districts, and in each year 1904, 384
acres are to be irrigated. The esti-
mated cost is over nineteen million dol
lars. 1t was recently stated in the AS
sembly that the water trusts already
existing had raised the value of the
land by seven and half million dollars
($7,5oo, ,ooo), "and had accomplished
work in its way unparalleled in the
world" The Auckland Heyald adds
the following to reference made to
that great work.
We cannot say if there be any exag-
geration on this point without more
exact knowledge of what they have
done in the Western United States;
but there can be no question that