The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-06-12

Oh large tracts OF lanu lOi
sale or for lease on long
terms, shall be discouraged.
TIE Crown lands being now at
the disposal Of the Government, II
is the part of wisdom as well as Of
patriotism to make provision in the
legislation necessary to their proper
management, for convenient
facilities for the settlement thereon,
as we'll as on the original Govern
ment lands, of industrious per
sons.
Such legislation may well fx
residence on or improvement Of
lands, or both, as a condition of
title. And inasmuch as many Of
our population are not skilled in
the accumulation and retention of
property, a provision where tho e
desiring to do so should have an
opportunity of acquiring mailer :
able homesteads, would doubtless
be of great value to them as " ell
as to the State.
For want of land policy hereto
fore, carried out i'll legislation fav-
oring such a settlement of the pub
/ lie domain, the difficulties of acquir-
ing small holdings have been al.
most prohibitive to persons OF small
means. The homestead law of
1884 made beginning and bas
furnished valuable experience, but
it is inadequate to the work which
is now demanded from social, ma
terial and political standpoints.
The following figures are express
sive of the state of land matters in
the past, and are significant rather
of the want of facilities in obtain
ing government land especially out
Of Honolulu, than Of want of a de-
mand therefor. During the year
ending July 4th, 1894, there were
thirty eight Government land sales
aggregating $40, 5oo.I5, of which
thirty were lands in Honolulu and
vicinity aggregatin 1867. and
only eight were of lands in all the
rest of the Islands outside of Homo
lulu, and aggregating 81, 52S.r5.
During the past year from July
4th, 1894, to the present time there
have been twenty-one Government
land sales aggregating sra, 400. o5,
of which fifteen were sales of lands
in Honolulu and vicinity aggregat-
ing $It,o5S., and only six Of lands
in other parts of the Islands aggre-
eating $2, 3o2.os. OF the fourteen
lands out of Honolulu sold by the
Government during the last two
years eight were under one hun
dred acres each.
A bill celebrating such land
policy as outlined above will be
submitted to you by the Minister
Of Interior.
The foregoing recommendation
in regard to the public lands is
suggested not only in relation. to
residents, but also as an induce
ment to the immigration of de
sirable class of settlers from Amer
lea and other countries, the import.
ance OF which is fully treated in the
report of the Labor Commission on
the coffee industry, to the Execu-
tive and Advisory Councils.
The subject Of immigration has
had the earnest and continuous
consideration of the Government.
Asiatic immigration to Hawaii is
mainly of transitory character,
experience showing that it cannot
be relied upon for permanent popu-
lation. 1t must therefore be looked
upon as largely in the nature Of a
temporary supplysof the demand
for agricultural labor.
1t is greatly to be desired that
while the current and necessary de-
mand should be met, the securing
of a permanent addition to the
population which will in time obvi-
ate the necessity Of constantly i'm
porting new laborers, should also
be kept in view. With this object
a renewal of Portuguese inmigra-
ton has been inaugarated by the
Government and one shipment of
100 persons has arrived.
The Government will be unre
hitting in its enGeavor to further
promote the immigration of per
inanent settlers of character
suitable for the building up of our
population.
One of the matters to which l
would especially direct your at
tention, is cable communication
with the outer world. Until such
communication is secured, Hawaii
must remain isolated. To do
everything within our power to
establish such communication is,
and must continue to be, one of the
chief items of Hawaiian policy
until it is accomplished. This has
been the policy OF the Government
of Hawaii in the past, but in a
passive form. We have been con-
tent to grant franchises and privi-
leges and to promise subsidies to
various private citizens. trusting to
their energy and enterprise to meet
the expenses and do the necessary
preliminary work.
Much time and money has been
spent in this way, but so far with
out tangible result.
The day has gone by when we
should await the initiative of pri-
vate capital in a matter so vital to
the political and commercial inter
ests of this country. The initiation
in such an enterprise should be
assured by this Government and
the work persistently pressed until
success is achieved.
The Government has kept itseli
Informed of the various suggestions
and plans for establishing cable
communication across the Pacific
during the past year, and should
stand ready to assist TO the full ex
tent Of its powers, any enterprise
having that end in view.
4 From the information in the
possession of the Government
however. while there is much evi
J dence of awakened interest in tn,
subject on the part of all the coun
tries bordering on the Pacific. there
has not yet been proposed any plar
which seems certain Of early execu
ton unless some new force comei
into the field of action.
One OF the main obstacles in thu