The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-10-27
GOVERNMENT ASSETS.

1t is am after of interest TO every
one to know the assets of the govern
ment. \ rough estimate has recently
been made and the result is graft
flying total of about S0,20O.OO0. Some
of the government assets cannot real
ly be valued. because. though of value
to the government they are not sale
able at anything like what they have
cost. Thus it is very difficult to value
the law library, it is very valuable.
one and would cost large sum to
replace. So again the maps and rec
ords of the survey department are in
valuable and would take an enormous
amount to replace, but it is difficult
TO put a valuation upon them and yet
they represent very valuable asset.
Other things. however, are compare
lively easily valued, such as buildings
used for government purposes The
initial cost is well known and easily
ascertained. and allowing a percent
age for reasonable wear and tear the
true value is easily arrived at.
But these matters are not by any
means the most interesting part of
the government assets, though they
amount to the good round sum of
over three and a half million dollars.
The amount and value of the govern
ment lands are of interest to every
one in the State. J. F. Brown, the
agent of public lands. has recently
made a classification and an estimate
of the government lands. unsold and
under lease, which is highly interest
ing, and which permission has been
given The Star to publish.
The total area, according to Mr..
Brown, may be classified as follows:
Acres.
Valuable building lots in Hilo 14j
Cane lands Observation-Disclosures. 1886
Rice lands Observation-Disclosures. 9t1
Coffee lands .............. 1910
Homesteads. government in
terest in. .................. 10000
Grazing lands of various
quality amman. ..,..... $1,000
Forest lands (high) ......... Gs1.2s2
Rugged, inaccessible noun
tain tracts ................. 22t.O0O
Barren lands, estimated area. 100000
1otal .............. .......l, 'o@,oou
OF course such a classification is
somewhat arbitrary, but it is a good
thing to have some classification, ev-
en- in the rough. In former years
there used to be no classification, nor
could any one tell anything about the
r lands or their value. Like the In
goldsby lands they were broad and
fair, and they're here and they're
there, and | can't tell you where"
But now-a-days the land Office can tell
some very fair notion of their value,
and leases are not made for the ride
ulously inadequate sums that they
were formerly, nor are they extended
in hole and corner methods, as some
have been, utterly in defiance of the
law which orders that the lease should
be put up at auction.
Land Agent Brown in his report
says: THE lack of positive khowl-
edge of the quality and adapablity of
the soil in untried sections, and the
imperceptible graduations by which
the best land merges into Indifferent
and Indifferent into that of nominal
value, makes report of this nature
to a considerable extent a matter of
rp hat Of
. tific certainty" Moreover under the
caption of grazing lands and high for
est lands is included a large area
which at some future time might be
devoted to the products of the tenn
perate zone, and under such circum-
stances would have to be classed
along with the more valuable cane,
rice and coffee lands.
The total estimated value of these
lands at the present time is little
over S5,600,000, on a very conservative
estimate.
The financial position of the gov
eminent is well backed then, with the
property of this kind behind it, which
increases, and does not decrease in
value with the advancing prosperity
of the place. With tangible property
valued at over $9,OO0,000 and a debt of
only S4,000,000, the bankrupt condi-
ton of the Hawaiian government
which the Royalists like to prate
about, turns out to be one of the very
many myths which that unfortunate
section of the population delight to
set afloat and then draw conclusions
from
The financial position of the gov
eminent is sound. The money obtain
ed by loan is now expended in useful
works, which will be of permanent
good, and which will make an indirect
return to the treasury in increased