Hawaii holomua = Progress. [volume] (Honolulu) 1893-1895, 1894-08-16
The Crown Lands.

Tor copy OF his biennial report.
The report which is gotten up in
a very neat aud comprehensive
manner furnishes lots OF inter
esting information. OF course it
is written with a pen dipped in
the most roseate ink, and the
opportunity to boom the lands
and inviting settlers into the
deserts lave not been neglected.
The Olaa lands are pictured in
the most glowing colors. If the
colonel is to be believed settlers
will find a perfect colorado in
that district During the reign
OF the Queen, the Olaa lands were
laid out in homesteads and es-
pecially designated to settlers.
AZ holdings were taken up con-
tanning an area Of 4S2 IA acres
with an annual rental Of 1882 10.
The republican" government
which is not interested in Hawai-
ians found the process too slow
and after illegally sequestring
the crown lands the government
offered more liberal terms to
settlers. Under the new
regime So leases in Olaa have
been granted comprising an area
oil, AIS 81. The lease holders
are mainly foreigners who cannot
be described as settlers as they
DO not live on the lands, but have
them cultivated by Japanese
coolies or Portuguese. To Judge
from the names of the lease
holders there are 70 foreigners
to nine Hawaiians. Leases No.
So, 50 and GO, are not described.
1t is noteworthy that several lots
have been taken up by japanese.
Puukapu in Waimea * the
hobby of the crown land agent.
Homesteads have been laid out
and taken mp at nominal rental,
but the report is silent in regard
to the improvements of these
lands and give no description of
what the settlers are cultivating
and the lands producing The
colonel writes that they are
choice lands-very choice-but
if suitable for coffee, tropical
fruits, other potatoes. fishponds
or stolen cattle, we are not in
formed.
From his description of the
crown lands, we learn what each
tract is useful for and also what
the estimated value is. The latter
is not based on the rental re-.
ceived, but seems to have been
placed at random. The report
does not suggest anything in
regard to markets for the pro-
duets which it is claimed can be
raised. If all the lands were
settled aud cultivated according
to the report, we have an un-
pleasant presentiment that our
future diet would consist Of
potatoes and corn. There is no
market for the quantities now
produced of these articles and an
increase of cultivation would
simply be disastrous. The |
tropical fruits about which, !
we read great deal in the report |
are not specified, but we are in
olined to suspect that the colonel
like Thurston-has got jelly on |
his brains and wants the settlers
TO can" we fear they can't.
The total area Of Crown Lands /
is placed at OIL 1868 acres which
the colonel values at 50 ,314 $50.
The rental is now $40, 26S.75 q
year, and when the rents for the
special leases recently issued fall
due the annual rental will be
S64 $50. 80, or nearly 3 per cent
of the supposed value, This is
an exceedingly good showing
when compared with landed in
vestments ia the most fertile
countries in Europe where l ] to
per cent ON capital invested in
agricultural enterprises is con-
'idered fair and satisfactory.
When it besides is remembered
hat these lands are at present
reated as government property. .
nd that the valuation placed on l
hem is absurdly high. the results G
nust be considered proper and
satisfactory. and we see no reason .
Thy the agent should regret that G