The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-25

hC lCpOIb VI lllt NhlIlolcl
of the Interior, J. a. King,
was presented to the members of
the Councils on Thursday The
report is very complete one, and
presents valuable tables and sta
tistics of the work done by the de-
partment. 1t is a book of 1913 pages,
and contains sub-reports made by
the following officials: The Sur
veyor-General; the assistant in
charge of meteorology; the assist
ant in charge of Government lands !;
the medical superintendent of the
Insane Asylum the Board of Fire
Commissioners, and of Chief En-
gineer Hunt; the Registrar of Con-
veyances; the Commissioner of
Agriculture the Government Ento-
mologist, Prof. Koebele; the Road
Supervisor the Superintendent of
Waterworks the Clerk of the Mar
ket; and the Superintendent of
Public Works.
The following extracts are made
from the report:
"The revenue of this department is
derived from license fees, sales and
leases of Government lands, water
rates, registry of cOnveyances, electric
lights and sundry fees and realiZations
which, for the biennial fiscal period
just closed, amounted to S5l2, ,90S.22." +"
Details of these receipts in a
comparative table with those of the
previous period are given in the
report.
GA steady and rapid decline in the
receipts from ava license fees is shown
by a comparison of the returns for
few years past. The use of this drug
or medicinal root has been confined
chiefly to the native Hawaiians, al
though it has been exported TO some
extent for medical purposes.
During the biennial period Just
closed, forty-three sales of Govern
ment lands have been held, and forty
new leases made, the leases repre-
senting an annual rental of SIS, ,5SS. l..
"Ihe applications for lands adapted
for coffee culture and for other agri-
cultural pursuits have been numer-
Gus, and in order that the Govern
ment should be able TO supply this
demand, it was decided to limit the
acreage for sale to fifty acres and for
lease to 100 acIes. The length of the
term for lease being fixed not to eX-
ceed fifteen years.
"On account of the numerous appli-
cations and the limited acreage of
land suitable for these purposes, the
Government has been considering the
feasibility of IA new sN stem of dispos-
ing of Government lands, 10y having
tracts surveyed and plotted out into
lots suitable for small holdings, and
under terms and conditions that will
encourage persons Of small means to
purchase homes, at the same time
making certain restrictions to pre-
vent parties bidding OF more than
one lot, and holding them for specu-
lating purposes.
Five hundred and seventy nine
lots have been homesteaded out of $50
now plotted, leaving balance OF lOl
lots To be taken up. There il no doubt
that these remaining lots Will be all
taken in ii very short time, as the de
mnnd for hOmesteads il on the in
crease.
During the period just closed
number of petitions have been re
ceived, praying that more homestead
plots be opened up, more especially
in the Hamakua, North and South
kona, Kau and Puma districts, but no
being available for this
work it was impossible TO grant their
request"
"rhe Legislature OF 1892 passed an
Act 10 establish Bureau of Forestry
and Agriculture under the Depart
ment OF the Interior. This Bureau
consists of an Honorary Board of five,
OF whom the Minister of the Interior
is eG Oilicio president, and also of q
-ulaTird Commissioner At its inst
meeting the Board appointed Joseph
Mar=den us Commissioner and Secre-
tary.
''Ihe first report II the Commis-
sioner of Agriculture under the new
has been published, and
Is an evidence that the work Is in
good hands
prompt steps have been taken to
all blight and insect
pests now existing aud 60 prevent
further introduction OF the same from
abroad aud 20 that end the services
OF Professor \ koebeie, an expert
enced entomoloEIat, have been en-
gagged for term OF three years.
"lhe re- organized Fire Department
has been III service one year aud con
sists Of two engine companies with