The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-05-19

The following Is the report OF the
Grown Land Commissioners for the
last biennial period. 1t was pre-
pared by Curtis P. Iaukea, the
agent of the Crown Land Commits
sioners, and presented at the last
meeting of the Councils. 1t was
not read at the time, but was ac-
cepted and ordered printed. To
further increase the value of the
report, several maps will accom-
pany each printed copy. The
maps were engraved at this Office.
The report will be found interest
ing.
Under the provisions of the Act ap-
proved January 3, 1865, by virtue of which
the business of this Office is transacted, the
Crown Lands cannot be alienated in fee
but can only be obtained by lease for q
term of years not exceeding thirty, au-
thority to lease the said lands being vest
ed in Board of Commissioners to con-
sist of two members from the Executive
Council and Land Agent.
At present the Council is represented
on the Board by the Minister of Interior
and the eAttorney-General.
Previous to the year 1892, the Crown
Lands were more or less administered in
the nature of a private estate, it being
held that the Sovereign, to whom the
revenues belonged, had a vested right to
the lands. Whether the claim was a
Just one or not the question as to its
oli ifxy aS
the management of the lands was large
ly controlled by the Sovereign.
With the commencement OF the year
1892 a new departure was taken which
materially changed the management of
the Crown Lands, and a decided i'm
provement over the old method of leas-
ing whole tracts of land to few indi-
viduals without conditions requiring i'm
provement or cultivation. The system
of land settlement inaugurated in 1892
marks an important feature in the tran
sactions of this Office during the period
just closed.
oLAA. SETTLEMENT, PUMA, HAWAII.
The opening of the new Volcano road
through the land of Olaa in the district
of Puma, Hawaii, brought within easy
access of market large area of fertile
land which had hitherto remained mac
cessible and practically unknown. With
view of securing the settlement of the
land by an industrious class, special in
ducements were offered to settlers and
the land thrown open for free selection
in limited areas under certain con-
ditions as to improvement, the tenure
being thirty year lease.
AS direct result of this system the
total area now occupied for actual settle
ment and cultivation at Olaa, exclusive
of the Homestead Reservation, is
IL ,47S 81 acres, in So separate holdings,
or an average to each selector of 135
acres.
HOMESTEAD RESERVATION AT oLAA.
In response to the claims of consid-
ierable number of native Hawaiians, ten
ants of the land of Olaa, reservation of
about 1400 acres was set apart specially
for the use of native Hawaiians. Suita-
Bile sections were allotted to each in the
nature of homesteads, continuous resi-
dence being required for five years, dur
ing which period no rent was chargeable.
Forty-seven have acquired holdings, oc-
cupying total area of 482 acres.
The settlers with their families, num-
beriDg about hundred, are thrifty and
in fairly comfortable circumstances.
church has been erected at the settle
ment and all that Is now needed is a
suitable school where their children may
receive the advantages of an early train
ing and education. The attention of the
Government is respectfully invited to the
needs of settlers in this regard.
KAIMU AND wAIAKoLEA HoMEsTEADs.
The satisfactory results attained at
Olaa under this system led to it's applica-
tion to the lands of kaimu and Waiako-
lea, also in Puma, Hawaii. These lands
are near the extreme end of the district.
Nearly all of the tenants have acquired
homesteads under conditions requiring
residence and improvement as at Olaa
140 acres are occupied under this system
in 15 separate allotments, ali of the Sc
lectors being native Hawaiians.
PUUKAPU HoMESTEADs, wAIMEA, HAWAII.
During the latter part of 1898, arrange
ments were concluded with the Trustees
of the Parker estate, by which large
and valuable section OF the Crown land
of Puukapu in Waimea, Hawaii, was
surrendered to the Commissioners and
devoted to homestead purposes. This
reservation of 1000 acres comprises all
that rich and fertile land adjoining the
village of Waimea, on the side toward
Hamakua, and includes the slopes over
looking the Waimea Plains. The Gov
eminent road TO Hamakua crosses the