The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-07-16
H!LO HAS A REAL KICK
LAND OFFICE TRANSACTION
sIDERABLY WORTH
PURCHASE


Land Commissioner Pratt, who re-
turned from Hilo on the Kinau this
morning, had a conference with the
| Hilo Board of Trades Executive Coun-
ell on Monday at which a very heavy
kick was registered against some land
transactions recently cOnsummated
without interested parties being ad-
vised of what was going on. 1t APP
peared to be admitted on all hands at
the close of the conference that the
public had suffered a great injustice,
and Pratt agreed to attempt to break
up the lease complained of. Pratt's
trip to Hilo was taken, as appears from
the Hilo accounts, because of some
communication from the President of
the Hilo Board of Trade, E. N. Holmes,
calling attention to the granting of a
Right of Purchase lease for 81 acres
of land at SO per acre, when the land
is valued by private parties at $50 per
acre.
The subject was brought up by q
Hiloite who objected to what he call
ed exchanges whereby Honolulu gets
a proposed street and Hilo loses blocks
of its most valuable property" The
complainer said that the deals were
consummated ION the quiet" and pro-
ceeded to describe a late transaction as
follows:
''The last known transaction was con-
summated a few weeks ago by our local
land agent under instructions from the
main office in which Mr.. Eugene H. Ly
man was granted a Right of Purchase
Lease of 81 acres of land, almost within
the City limits at SO per acre and twen-
ty-one years in which to pay it. This
land is situated just mauka and ad-
joining the land of Mr.. William Kinney
and has been applied for by several per"
sons who were willing to pay prices
ranging from 500 to $50 per acre, and If
sold at auction, l believe would have
brought more than $50 per acre. All
applicants, except Mr.. Lyman, for these
lots were met with the remark: you
cannot get those lots for they have
been Withdrawn from settlement" And
upon inquiry, I find they were with
drawn and it is so stated in the office
books.
This would have been an excellent
tract to have divided into residence lots
and would have furnished splendid
opportunities to many families who de-
sire suburban homes. l am informed
that a proposition was made for set
tlement association but was turned
down because the land was too valuable
and the Government required it for
other purposes.
"Mr. Kinney's land adjoining the lots
referred to, is assessed at $50 per acre
and he was offered $4,000 for eighty
acres. 1t is true that some of Mr. Kim
ney's land is better than the lots
transferred to Mr.. Lyman but the
greater part is the same"
As a result of an investigation by
committee of the Board of Trade, Pre-
sident Holmes wrote letter which re-
suited in Pratt's going to Hilo to meet
the hoard. The letter was as follows
Dear Sir; In re Right of Purchase
Lease No. AT issued to Eugene II. Ly-
man for lots 4 and 5, Ponahawai.
eve beg to say that we think a great
injustice has been done the Hilo pubic
as well as the Government, by your
method of handling these lots and mere
with submit you the following facts
Several parties have, from time TO
time applied for these lots, between 1895
and 1903, and were informed by both the
former Hilo sub agent and from the Ho-
nolulu office that the lands were With
drawn. Now, after Mr.. Lyman applied