The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-09-11
OPPOSING INTERESTS
APPEAR AND
EXPLAIN
GEHR PEOPLE CLAIM THAT THE
PARKER CROWD MADE MANY
FALSE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CHARGED BY WILCOX.

The morning session of the Senator
ial Commission was devoted entirely to
the question of the license Tor a ditch
company on Hawaii and the discussion
of the merits of the opposing interests
of Samuel Parker, j. L. McCrosson, S.
M. Ballou and e. b. McClanahau on
the one hand, and A. c. Gehr, II. b.
Gehr, j. ". Jones and other parties in
terested with them on the other.
Senator Thurston as counsel for the
Gehr interest opened the argument fol-
lowed by A. G. Gehr. Among those in
attendance were Samuel Parker, David
Kawananakoa, w. o. Smith, Delegate
Wilcox, E. S. Boyd, A. c. Halves, j.
w. Jones, District Attorney Breckons,
Senator Thurston, Special Agent Hay
wood, Isaac Noar, j. 7. McCrosson, A.
G. Gehr, H. b. Gehr and E. b. McClan-
ahan, with, from time to time, various
officers of the naval station.
During the morning Senator Burton
of the commission seemed to feel that
the water right laws of the Unite1
States should apply to the Territory of
Hawaii. The Gehr interests submitted
that the peculiar allotments of lands
and land rights in Hawaii were not ap-
plicable to laws which suited open
prairie countries with rivers and
streams running over a big eXpanse of
country and where rectangular division
was adopted.
Rainfall waters, the configuration Of
the country, as would be evidenced by
the trip of the commission later, and
land rights as given under old ideas
of longitudinal allotments," all claimed
Senator Thurston and his clients, need
ed special laws or notifications of ex-
listing ones. The Gehr interests, how
ever were not asking for special privi-
lege or legislation, but while favoring
the right of territorial officials to de-
eide on such questions, their decision
possibly to be qualified by consent of
the Secretary of the Interior were
amenable to any decision of the COM
mission.
A. c. Gehr on the stand attested that
an agreement had been made between
the opposing parties wishing the ditch
rights, but that the Parker combina-
ton had violated this agreement, had
denied it's existence, had endeavored to
discredit the Gehr interests by false
statements as to their financial status
and that Mr.. McCrosson in particular
had several times charged the govern
ment officials with being biased in fav-
or of the Gehr interests and made 9Th
er statements said to be incorrect.
That Delegate Wilcox had charged the
Governor directly with vacillation and
bias. All of this he affirmed under oath
and stated his ability to prove by wit
nesses. Mr.. McClanahan will cross
examine Mr.. Gehr this afternoon.
The commission being in need of a
stenographer three were on the ground
this morning. The senators had men,
toned their need and Secretary Cooper
Judge Humphreys and Judge Gear had
released their stenQgraphers from duty.
Miss Harlean James, court stenograph-
err was chosen as having had most
practice with evidence. j. w. Jones
not having then arrived and being pos
sibly needed as witness.
The committee came to order at nine
forty-five, the session being announced
as set aside for the Hawaiian Ditch
proposal.
Senator Thurston made a short preli-
minary statement referring to the bill
now pending in Congress as one grant
ing an exclusive right for water. my
clients" said Mr.. Thurston, represent
ed by Arthur c. Gehr who can name his
associates, they from the very beginn-
ing have not desired to enter into any
controversy before Congress as to the
parties best entitled to such a franchise
for construction of the ditch, believing
that ample authority is vested in the
territorial officials as in all similar
matters. The matter started when Mr..
Gehr being in the islands arranged for
funds and spent several thousand dol
lars in preliminary surveys of the rain
tfall and water that could be secured
and applied to lands needing irrigation.
"Some time later, other interests
thought an opportunity for competition
occurred and a controversy before the
territorial officers arose with the result