The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-07-12

On the 10th August, 1873, the
Commissioners of Crown Lands
made application to Hon. r. A.
Lyman, Boundary Commissioner
for the Island of Hawaii, for settle
ment of the boundaries of number
of lands belonging to the Crown sit
uated in the district of HiIo, on the
island of Hawaii, and among them
was the land of Humuula. It ap-
peared that Humuula was bounded
on the side of the mountain towards
the town of Hilo EASTWARD by
large number of lands, to-wit:
Waipunalei, Papaaloa, Maulua, Pr
ha, Honohina, Hakalau, Makahana-
Ioa, Papaikou, Paukaa and Piiho-
nua, etc. 1t appeared that the Gov
eminent land of Kaohe is on the
Hamakua or western side of HUI
nuula. The Commissioner took a
great deal of testimony respecting
the boundaries of all these lands
and established the boundaries of
those last mentioned, but Gid not
complete the settlement of the
boundaries of Humuula.
After the lapse of some years
another commissioner, Hon. F. S.
Lyman, was appointed, and on the
14th August, 1891, the Hawaiian
Government made application to
him to "settle the tbs. b 5canI,.. a. IS -he,-
tween eel the Crown Lands of HUI
muula and the adjoining Govern.
ment tract extending from Poha-
kuhanaIei on Maunaloa to the head
of Kaala in Hamakua, known prin-
cipally as the Government land of
Kaohe."
Judge Lyman took such evidence
as was presented, and on the Sd
October, 1891, made a decision es-
tablishlng the boundary between Ka-
ohe and Humuula, locating it by
reference to known places and stat.
ing that surveys were to be made and
filed before the certificates of
boundaries should be issued. From
this decision the Commissioners of
Crown Lands appealed to this
Court. 1t was agreed that all the
evidence taken by the two commits
sioners of boundaries should be re-
ceived by the Court. In addition
to this, the evidence Of Mr.. C. J.
Lyons, Of the Government Survey,
and of Mr.. James Gay, a surveyor,
and of John Norton, was taken be-
fore the Court. The determination
of the boundary of Kaohe will settle
the boundary of Humuula where
these lands adjoin.
Besides the interests of the con-
tending parties, the Government
and the Crown Land Commission
ers, the determination of this
boundary is matter of public inn
portance, as the western boundary
of Humuula along the Kaula gulch
and thence on to near the summit
of Maunaloa is the division between
the districts of Hamakua and Hilo.
1t is established by the evidence
that Humuula is q Hilo land and
that Kaohe is a Hamakua land.
From the mass of evidence taken
we find that in ancient times the
main value of the land of Kaohe
was the "uwa'o," ses-bird, whose
habitat was the dry, rocky and ele- !
waited portion of the mountain. The |
habitat of the bird $780," whose |
feathers were valuable was in the
mamane of Humuula. So, the |
bird-catchers, retainers of the chief |
TO whom 1Iumuula was assigned, |
were limited to this area on which
to take the $780," and could not
take the "uwa'o," for those be-
onged to Kaohe.
All admit that the line where the
tense forest ceased and the scatter
ing mamane trees grew was the
Inc of Humuula eastward and on
he westward the line was where
he mamane trees ceased, above
he limit of vegetation. This gem
,ral view is not controverted and
he boundary line from Pohakuha-
lalei on Maunaloa TO Kanakaieonui
IS found by the commissioner is
lot seriously controverted by either
'arty. 1t is agreed that the start Z
ng point of the western boundary
# Humuula on the sea coast is ,
where it joins the land of Ookala
nd that the boundary runs along +.
)okala until it comes to the Kaula
'ulch and follows this gulch up to
he upper boundary of the land nF