Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-20

very ruggeu country.
The Chairman. Not susceptible OF
cultivation?
Mr.. Boyd. That has not been demon.
strated. would not like to say any.
thing in that regard. There are some
lands here which are known as private
lands which, | think, are susceptible
OF cultivation, but the land belonging
to the Government is in many cases
all cut up.
The Chairman. Is there any city or
town OF any consequence on this isl
and?
Mr.. Boyd. There are only two cities,
or villages. as you might call them
Waikiki and Lahaina.
The Chairman. What is the difficulty
about applying our land laws to this
| island?
Mr.. Boyd. The United States land
law is so generous in its terms and the
peculiar conditions existing out there
are such that careful review Is reed
ed before the lands are put on the
market. That Is the idea. As have
stated. our lands lie sandwicncd be-
tween those of private owners, and to
| homestead those lands under the APP
praisemcnt and classification Of the
present bill would be injurious to the
Territory. We want to put out these
lands to the best advantage.
The Chairman. That is to say, these
lands are OF varying values.
Mr. Boyd. They are of varying val
ues. Some of the lands lying in one
district are worth from 800 to 5000
an acre, while other lands in their i'm.
mediate vicinity are not worth s cents
an acre.
The Chairman. II this land Is worth
800. what is this otner land worth?
Mr.. Boyd. | am not prepared to say.
That is forest land.
The Chairman. Can you give us any
idea?
Senator Coclircll. What kind OF tim.
Der is there on It?
Mr.. Boyd. 1t is the old species OF
Hawaiian forest called the koa wood
and the lehua wood. The kOa wood Is
very good wood from which furniture
can be made; the other is good only
Tor frcwood.
The Chairman. Which Is the more
valuable-tTle land over there or this
land?
MI. Boyd. II water can be diverted
over here. think this will then be tho
more valuable land
Senator COckrell. What is tho dis.
lance, and what kind of II canal or tun.
mel would be required?
Senator Foster. 1t would take anoth.
or Nicaragua Canal to get over these
mountains, Senator.
MI. Boyd. They nave a canal here,
running from Hoomanu clear across
here from about to 10 feet wide and
u feet deep. II Is Il very large canal.
The Chairman. Leading around
here?
Mr.. Boyd. Leading around here.
The Chairman. So that. from an en-,
cheering point OF view. II Is feasible
to bring that water around!
MIR. Boyd. 1t is feasible; yes. sir. In
granting water rights, or In leasing
land for the water. we generally put
conditions in the lease that will pro.
tect private rights and the forests. 1t
is necessary that that should be done,
The Chairman. Now give us one Of
your other maps.
Mr.. Boyd. You will notice from an
inspection of the next map. which rep
resents the Island Of Oahu. that the
Government lands are decreasing in
extent.
(Mr. Boyd then produced a map Of
the Island Ut Oahu
The Chairman. What Is there on
this island that is important?
Senator Foster. There Is Pearl llur.
Dor Is there not?
Nj, Boyd. Yes; Pearl IIarbor is
there.
The Chairman. Tell us something
about that island. These three yellow
portions represent the public lands. do
they?
Mr.. Boyd. They do. The area OF that
island Is 600 square miles; and you
can see for yourselves, gentlemen.
that the public lands are scattered all
over Ii. A good portion of this land
has been set apart by the United
States for a military naval reserva.
ton.
The Chairman That is this yellow
part'
Mr.. Boyd. Right up to this mountain
range, and also this one; yes.
Senator Cockrell What il the popu.
lation of the island?
Mr. Boyd. The total population Of
the island is about $4,000.
The Chairman. DO $4,000 people
live on that one island?
Senator Foster. Why, Honolulu Is