The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-12-08
FERNANDEZ
AND PRATT

Mr.. William Fernandez. of Hilo, is
evidently one OF the kind who feel that
they are showing tneIr Independence
by being impudent. A public officer is
a public servant, but he is entitled
to civil treatment. even at the hands
of Hilo man.
Another chapter has been added toN
the attempt of Mr.. VIM. Fernandez to
break into the Hakalau cane fields, and
secure fifty acres apiece thereof, for
himself and associates
The situation is as follows:
The land belongs to the government.
1t has heretofore been under lease to
the Hakalau Plantation. The lease is
about to expire, and Mr.. Fernandez
and number of other gentlemen have
applied for fifty acres each, under the
homestead settlement association law.
/ Mr.. Pratt, the Land Commissioner,
has announced that he is disposed to.
homestead a portion of the land, but
requires assurances satisfactory to
him, that the proposed homesteadcrs
intend to themselves take up the land
and really make their homes there, and
that they are not taking 1t up pro
forma, with a view to subletting to
aliens, and thereby performing their
homesteading work by proxy. He also.
requires to be assured that the pro-
posed homesteader can take care of
the area of land applied for, so that
none of it will become waste, 1t being
| high grade cane land, all in state of
high cultivation.
This very proper expression of policA
Mr. Fernandez, or some blatherskitd
/ speaking in his name, characterizes ash
an attempt Ito amend the land act,"l
and trying to run another man'S
house without any probable cause"
whatever that may mean.
There is strong evidence that some Of
the Settlement Associations now in the
preliminary stages of incubation in and
about Hilo, consist largely of pure
spectators, who would have to be in
troduced to hoe if they met it conn
ing up the street, and who have MOI
idea of soiling their hands by anything
so plebian as Hilo dirt.
Genuine, bona fide homesteaders, who
intend to live on and cultivate their
own land should be encouraged in every
possible way; but the Land Commist
sioner can render no greater service ton
the Territory and the real homesteader
than by wedding out the CRATER and
the fake homesteader.
All that Mr.. Pratt has asked of Mr..
Fernandez is to furnish assurances
that he is the genuine article. The only
reply has been one that indicates a
swelled head and lack of appreciation
of the objects of the homestead lawA
The people of Hawaii will stand by|
Commissioner Pratt in his efforts td1
secure genuine agricuturists for set-A
tlement on any lands which may b&l
taken from plantations for homestead-
ing purposes.
The following is the latest correspon-
dence between Messrs. Fernandez and
Pratt:
FERNANDEZ TO PRATT.
Hilo, Hawaii. Nov. "a, 1906.
Jas. w. Pratt, Esq, Commissioner of
Public Lands, Honolulu, Oahu.
Dear Sir: Yours of the 7th inst. att
hand and its contents carefully noted I
but 1 fail to see an answer to my
former letter. 1 will say that we exlH
pect to hear from you whether or nov
you will open UP the tract as applied
for by us in the letter of August 25, 19Q5iI
without any conditions or objects added
by you to the land act of 1895, bII
whether you will not.
1 note in your last letter that you
emphasize the word may, there is M
doubt that in that particular part y@%
have the power, but 1t does not sal
that you have the power to ameI0$
the land act. Your objects and condH
tions are not satisfactory as l alread
wrote and 1t is not worth while vast
ing any more time with them. In you
objects and conditions If you will lod
them over carefully you will note thu
you are trying to run another mani
house without any probable causel
Thanking you for an early reply.
Respectfully yours,
VIM. FERNANDEZ,\
President William Fernandez SettH
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