The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-01-30
.R. \. BUYD
REMOVED
Undue Extravaganza Is
Charged by
Cooper.

Robert N. Boyd, road engineer In the
Public Works Department. has been
asked to resign by supt. Cooper and his
resignation will take effect tomorrow.
II have asked MIR. Boyd. road en-
gineer. to resign" said supt. COOPER
yesterday in explanation OF his action.
II find that his conduct of Affairs on
the other islands has been extravagant
In the expenditure OF public funds. so
much so that considered that the BUSH
ness Of the department could be better
conserved by another appointment"
Mr.. Cooper would not go into details.
or give any specific item Of extrava-
gance, but said that the conduct OF the
office OF the road engineer was carried
on on q too extravagant basis. No
selection has been made az yet AZ to
Boyd's successor but the appointment
will be made within q short time.
Boyd was particularly active In the
last campaign in bringing about Re-
publican success. and upon his request
a meeting OF the Fourth District Re-
publican Committee was held yesterday
to consider the enforced removal. A
ing to investigate the causes OF re-
moval. r. N. Boyd was appointed by
his brother J. II. Boyd AS engineer in
the road department soon after his own
selection as Superintendent OF Public
Works.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
milton Of the need of adaptation to
special local conditions. Aimed to
make the acquisition of land the cas-
lest possible, the good results which
might come about I'm a country where
the homesteader can count on reason
ably sure reward for his industry might
easily be turned to evil If the opposite
conditions exist.
Applied to these Islands, we cannot
but believe that one result would be to
stimulate the taking up Of land
by people unfamiliar with the true
conditions, with disappointment to
them as one result and a more
pronounced consolidation of lands
as another and later result. Appli-
cants would not be wanting for
favored spots but too many would have
in mind other purposes than those Of
bona fide homesteading. 1t Is not con-
tended that these evils would exist
only In the case OF the extension OF the
United States land laws, but that the
existing laws are better safeguards
against these results In Hawaii
The uniform valuation of lands, ao-
cording to class, would not reasonably
apply to this country. where astonish-
ing differences OF quality and value ex-
list within the limits of a very small
tract, and where location Is an I'M
portant factor.
The laying out of roads, without
which, i'm this mountainous country.
the homestead proposition can hardly
be seriously considered. is not. so far
as we are Informed. contemplated un-
der the United States system Of home
stead surveys, but is directly provided
for under our present laws
Under the existing laws as to leases,
a lease Of forest or grazing land may
NC hdh' Aoi Nhc vi
years. bv sale at public auction after
due notice for thirty days. II It be
agricultural land, the term OF lease Is
limited to five years. In the twenty
one year leases are provisions for pro-
tecting the land from waste. for fenc-
ing and preserving forests. and for re-
sumption Of any portion of the
same for settlement or other pur-
poses. The present income OF the
Territory from all leases IL In the
neighborhood OF 800 900 per year. and
this considerable income is. in many
cases. derived from lands OF which no
other good use can be made, as they
are adapted to profitable use only by
expensive irrigation works. requiring
fHrge capital for their erection and
maintenance. In considerable number
OF cases these leases are the basis for
prosperous plantations. giving employ
Tent to all classes OF the cOmmunity
and making homesteads possible In
their vicinity. A suspension or prohi-
billion OF these leases. which every one
admits should be made with scrupu-
lous consideration OF the public inter-
est, and which we claim are 40 made,
would not only deprive the Territory Of
much-needed income, but would
seem positive loss OF value and n
detriment TO this community not cas-
lily estimated.
In conclusion. your memoriaiists can
only express their firm belief that the
existing laws, enacted 10 meet the act
ual conditions here, are better calou-
lated than those ~ the Mainland ~
preserve the interests Of the community
as a whole elastic enough 10 meet the
needs 81 any bona fde settler, without
warkinR injury 10 any existing indus
try, and llkely 10 be best approved by
those having the fullest acquaintance
with their operation,
We would urge that, IN any case,
before radical changes are made N a
matter 80 imporiant 90 these Islands,
The whole subject he inyestiaated nv