The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-03-24
PUBLIC LAND TRANSFERS.
AGENT BROWNS REPORT TO THE
PRESIDENT.
Immense Increase in Land Sales and
Realizations During the Past Year
Plans for Future

Land Agent Brown has submitted TO
President Dole a most interesting re-
port of the work of his bureau for the
past twelve months. Being a mid-leg-
islature document it will not be print
ed until January, 1900, so ii may be ac-
cepted as real live, important news
data.
The first part of the report deals
with the transfer of surveys from the
bureau to the survey department, with
the amount of work completed since
July of last year, at which time the
transfer was completed.
Land taken up during the year Is
shown to be as follows: Right of pur-
chase leases, number of acres, 3,092. .33;
value, S24, 1879. Special agreements,
number of acres, 1,12606; value, $12,-
5S1.05. Homesteads, acres, 296.81. OF
this amount the largest is in the first
land district of Hawaii, comprising Hi
10 and Puma. Hamakua and Kohala
come next, and Maui, Molokai and La
mai third. Summarizing, the number OF
transfers, were 99 acres, 4515.20 and
cash value, $37,314.S4.
BY nationalities the transfers were
made as follows: American, "a; acres,
1,925.S6, and value, $15,O45.73. Portu-
guese, "a acres, 75S13, and value,
$6,616.79 Hawaiian Gncluding also Ha-
waiian born of foreign parents though
natives in the majority, "A; acres,
1,3S9.25, and value, $9,413.92. German, 4;
acres, 24031, and value, $5,43040. Brit
ish, /; acres, 103.20, and value, $103. 80.
Russian, 1; acres, so, and value, $500.
Japanese, 1; acres, 4S.45, and value
$4O5.
Under the special provisions of Part
TX of land act for Olaa leases there
were thirty-siX patents of land in that
district. The number of acres taken
were 3,971.S0, and the value $19 672. Sc.
The agent states to the president that
the right of purchase leases and spe-
cial agreement sales are favored by
the majority of the applicants. There
| have been no transactions whatever
under the cash freehold system. The
| bureau intends to further the home
stead lease system as far as possible.
After referring to the establishment
of the settlement associations on the
| upper Maulua and Wahiawa tracts the
agent says: "An application of the
Pioneer Settlement Association of Olaa
was made under date of November 30,
| 1898, for about 700 acres of land in the
| new Olaa section of Hawaii. 1t was
deemed best to defer action on this ap-
plication until the survey of this new
Olaa tract was further advanced.
| Sales for cash and by compromise
during the year netted the sum of
| 81, 7,644.50. 1t has not been the policy OF
| the bureau to recommend the sale OF
public land Internationally for cash
except in a limited number of cases
! where exceptional conditions seemed
to call for departure from the general
rule.
During the year 25, sos. .93 acres of land
have been let out under new leases, al
an annual rental of 1851 These rem
| tails represent an increase of $2,760 fol
the year. Special conditions as to tree
planting, fencing and protection OF
forests have been required of the less.
ees of lands other than cane land.
During the year the receipts from
land sales have been $4S, ,S93.06, anc
from land revenue $10S,3S2.97, making
a total of $157, ,276.03, or an excess OF
$15,135.32 over that of the previous
year.
Under the head of prospective worl
| Mr.. Brown adds: 1T is the intention
of this office to push as rapidly as pos
sible the survey and opening of new
lands, those now under survey anC
such new tracts in any direction a!
may seem suitable for settlement, anC
for which there is likely to be any de
mand
THE interest in public lands and de
sire to obtain the same is unabated
and every effort will be made to NEE
the same.
THE present year will, I think, shov
a large amount of land taken up.
Suggestions have been made b,
sundry lessees under old crown lease
looking to the surrender of portions o
lands held by them, if such surrende
could be arranged on equitable terms
II do not know what may be posi-
BILE along this line, but hope that som
practicable result may be reached b,
which more land suitable for settle
ment may be available for such pur
poses"