The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-29
ARE STILL
FAR APART
Governor Carter and
Russians Disagree
on Prices.

At the conclusion of a long confer
ence yesterday afternoon between Gov
ernor Carter, Land Commissioner Pratt
and the two Molokan (Russian) elders
on the proposed colonization of lands
at Kapaa, Kauai, the Territory and the
colonizers were far apart as to figures.
In nutshell the Russians wanted the
government to fix price on the land,
and the Governor, acting according to
the law, stated that the values must
be appraised. The elders, who leave
today on the Manchuria for California,
will there await the decision of the ap-
praisers before making a final report
to the Russian colony in Southern Cali
fornia, which is anxious to come to the
Hawaiian Islands
Governor Carter made the following
statement yesterday afternoon:
1--WE are wide apart on figures. The
Russians will return to California on
tomorrow steamer. We will appoint
appraisers and as soon as they have
concluded their appraisement We will
send word to the Russians.
The rental value of the government
lands is based on eight per cent. of the
Appraised value. The land has no title
for three years. If tenants have COM
piled with all conditions then, and
make payment of the appraised value,
they can obtain a title.
In todays conference tried to point
out to them that we were not trying
to drive a close bargain with them
or do anything other than to give them
an opportunity to go on the land, and
they can pay for it when the time
comes. If they find by that time that
they have been deceived, and if they
find things are not what we represent
ed to them, they are not compelled to
take them. They would only then have
risked their time and gone to the ex-
pense of coming here. That is not a
great risk, when one man will advance
the money to get here. The Russians
are not risking much.
Captain Demens seems to think it
will be difficult to persuade people back
there about the value of our lands,
unless they can be put down to $5 an
acre, and that if we do not, the whole
proposition will be all off.
II can not see that we can value the
land at So an acre.
MY idea is that the Russians would
be getting splendid thing at an aver
ge on the cane and pasture land at
SIS an acre.
Il have suggested this: That per-
haps the people of the Territory are
willing to go into this and stand for
more than the one appraiser the law
allows. that two appraisers be also ap-
pointed from Honolulu, making three
in al With re land agent of Kauai
This IS not my land; it belongs to
the Territory of Hawaii. I don't want
to be accused of blocking white labor
ers coming to the Territory. of course.
and I am anxious to do what is right
to all concerned.
Perhaps those appraisers can have
a public hearing on this question.
''Mr. Pratt today named a price which
is satisfactory to me.
There is another thing in connection
with grinding contracts If you make
it too favorable there is the tempta-
tion to sell out to others, and on the
other hand if you don't make it favor
able they throw it up.
Il like these men tremendously. They
are rs fine men as you would want to
meet anywhere.
They said: We think the govern
ment can make US a good price. We
want to make money so that we may
send away for more of our country
men that they may come here and en-
joy the blessings we may enjoy
These things coming up spontaneous
ly in a conference assure me of their
true worth
James 3. Castle has become so en-
thusiastic over the prospects of getting
the Molokans to settle on public lands
in Hawaii that he has written to a
ship firm on the Coast asking whether
they can handle the whole party. num-
bering over 500 men. women and chill
dren, on vessels of their line.
AAsI fasRsasTT AsssFA