Arizona republican., 1901-12-21
OUR ''CROWN" LANDS
IA Bill in Congress for Their
 Disposition
It Provides for an Application of the Homestead Laws of the United States to Public Lands in the Ha- waiian Island.

Washington, Dec. 15.-(Special core spondence of The Republican.)-An eff fort will be made during the winter to secure some legislation from con gress settling the status and providing for the disposal of the public and so- called crown lands in the territory of Hawaii. Delegate Wilson has intro duced bill in the house and Senator Mason has introduced a like measure in the senate along lines which have been agreed upon as desirable.
 Land conditions in Hawaii are very peculiar. though the same may be said of all the new possessions Local problems present themselves in Ha- waii, Porto Rico and the Philippines though there is certain similarity of tenure, survey and lease owing to the fact that the Spanish system prevails quite generally in all countries in the western hemisphere until the United States adopted an original system of land laws.
 The bill now before congress to pro- vide system of land laws for Hawaii provides that the public domain shall be divided into four classes. Lands Of the first class to embrace all city lots. streets, alleys, private wharfs, land ings and suburban land within a dis tance of two miles of incorporated towns, and where towns are not incor- porated the secretary of the interior is to be authorized to set aside such pub lie lands as he may deem to be of suburban nature. The bill provides that all land matters of Hawaii shall be under the jurisdiction of the secre- tary of the interior. Lands of the first class to be subject to further legisla- ton by congress.
 Lands of the second class are to eIn- brace all public domain which has been cultivated or partly cultivated under lease or otherwise not exceeding one thousand feet above sea level including also all wet land known as "kalo" or tara" land. and rice land not exceed ing one thousand feet elevation above sea level
 Lands of the third class embrace all public domain at any elevation above sea level which is agricultural, pas toral, forest or waste lands on all the principal islands which may in any measure be adapted to domestic use and habitation.
 Lands of the fourth class embrace all domain in all small outlying islands. reefs and shoals which is not susceptible to domestic use and habi- tation. Jurisdiction over these public lands of all classes is expressly con
  United States government
 A new surveyor general district with the principal office at the city of lilo on the island of Hawaii is to be ere ated and the president is to have the appointment of surveyor general whose salary is to be S4,500 per year. Two districts are to be organized. one with headquarters at lilo and another at Honolulu on the island of Oahu The Nl. E-I.. of Hawaii only. The Honolulu district embraces all the remaining territory The same general scheme of orsaniza- ton is to be followed as now prevail in the United States land office.
 Lands of the first class are to be listed and reported to the president for further action by congress and until such action is taken all rents and profits arising from existing leases are to be paid to the secretary of the treasury of the United States and no further settlement or disposal of such land is to take place until congress shall have made further provision for the same.
 Lands of the second class are to be surveyed according to the American township system and divided into sec tions and quarter sections with public roads two rods in width marking the boundaries of each quarter section. Where the township system is not practicable such lands are to be sur veyed into forty-acre lots. Whenever twenty thousand acres or more of the second class land shall have been sur veyed and the survey approved the land shall be opened to settlement by presidential proclamation, prescribing the manner in which such lands may he entered upon by persons who pos sess the legal qualified tions.
 The fee for filing upon entry of this second class land is to be s1 per acre and upon obtaining title to the same the further sum of S5 per acre is to be