The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-08-30
Aren't ]. 7. Bnvi Furni,le,
Clear Statement.
WHAT FARMING PROSPECTS ARE
Coffee-Littls or No Land Available
Just Now-systsm-No Field for
Land Speoulation-Dont'
Commission Of Public Lands,
Honolulu, H. l., Aug. 26, 1898.

Sir:-The natural interest taken In
Hawaiian matters by the people Of the
Great Republic. and the tendency
which exists with many of look for
great and golden opportunities in the
is apt to tempt to these ISL
ands considerable number of people
who are i'll informed, or not at all in
formed, of true conditions here. and
many of whom must be disappointed.
1t is with the desire to clearly set
forth the conditions at least as far as
regards the public lands of the Islands,
that / ask for little space in your
paper, in the hope that the statements
made may come to the attention of
some Of those intending to try their
fortunes in Hawaii
First II should be noted that Hawaii
is not new" country with great I'M
broken areas of public lands awaiting
the settler. For half century u de-
finite system of land division and own
ership has existed, and for that long
period transactions in public and priv
ate lands have steadily taken place as
in all civilized countries. The policy
of selling lands outright for cash at
low figures, and Of making long leases
of large tracts, was steadily carried out
from the early "fifties" until the date
OF the Land Act Of 1895, and the result
is easily inferred. A large portion OF
what might be called the cream" of
the Government lands had at the latter
date passed into the hands of private
owners, and long leases have been
made covering the most valuable Gov
eminent and Crown lands. many Of
which leases are still in force. 1t was
to conserve and devote to the use Of
bona fide" settlers the remaining pub
lie land, that the Land Act Of 1895 was
passed, which Act. eminently suited to
the conditions of the case, Is in force
at this date.
To carry out the purpose Of this Act,
public lands have as fast as practicable
Deen divided and opened up. As there
has been for the past two years keen
demand for such lands, both on the
part of old residents OF the country and
of new corners, 1t has followed that all
tracts have been taken up as soon as
opened, and at the present date there Is
practically no land ready for the occu-
patton of any considerable number of
new corners. The survey work which
over rough mountain lands and
through dense tropical jungle, is at all
times a laborious and slow process.
was interrupted at the end of 1897 by
the exhaustion of appropriations for
that purpose, and has only been re-
Gently resumed upon the passage Of
new appropriations. 1t Is inevitable
that some time must elapse before ne
cessary surveys can be completed. The
new lands are OF the lines OF travel;
much difficulty Is encountered in pro-
jecting roads to reach them and the
task all around, is a difficult one which
one unfamiliar with the country can
not easily estimate.
The lands laid out and disposed Of
since the date of the 1895 Land Act
have been those portions most favor
ably situated, and those remaining are
Of course still further removed from
centers OF population and lines Of
travel. To settle upon and to improve
such lands Is no soft snap"
To residents of the Islands 1t Is well
known, but for the information of
others 1t is necessary to state that. as
far as cane lands and sugar cultiva-
ton Is concerned. there is practically
no opening except for large capitalists,
and for few, II any, OF those.
The field is occupied by those who
for forty years have been developing
this industry, extending and CONSOLE
dating their interests.
The low lying fiat land OF the country
with abundant water supply, a consid-
cradle part OF the whole, Is wholly &C.
cupied by rice or taro planters, who
have engaged in those planting occu-
pations for many years.
There does remain still, consider.
able area to be disposed OF as surveys
are completed and as old leases ex-
pire, principally OF lands suited to
coffee cultivation and small farming.
With reference to lands suited to
coffee cultivation 1t may be said. that
the same are in general forest and bush