The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-20

| to he people of Hawaii is only incl
dental 20 rhe main purpose
The President ana secretary Taft
ara 50 much impressed with the i'm
/ Tortauce OF proceeding al once Win
forljGca5ton work "a Hawaii thar tho
| President has made a special recon-
:nendauun ~ that edeo- il his mes
sage l wish 10 take this occasion TO
| correct some Measurements that were
made on the floor last year in regard
| TO eXorbitant prices asked for lands
required for fertilization sites in Ha-
wall.
All land in the vicinity of Homo
lulu is high priced because of two
facts: First, that the area of good
beach property and residence grounds
supplied with water is absolutely linn
tied: second. that the agricultural land
always commands a high price because
II is very productive and also because
there is only a limited amount avail
able for rice and sugar cultivation.
The facts are that in many cases the
owners of land do not wish to dis
pose of it at all, desiring to hold this
land because forming the best means
of income and investment
LAND MOST VALUABLE.
This was clearly proven when the
Federal government sought to obtain
site for a future naval station al
Pearl Harbor. In that case each of the
owners bordering on Pearl Harbor
sought to have the government locate |
on land other than their own. They |
did not wish to dispose of their land |
at all for this purpose. And it is the |
opinion of the business men |
in Honolulu, familiar with land values |
there, that if the land condemned for |
a naval station site had been put up |
at auction it would have brought from
twenty to thirty per cent. more in |
gold coin than was paid by the Unit
I'd States Government
The further fact is to be noted that
the 100000 appropriated two years ago
FOR the purchase of fertilization sites |
n Hawaii has all been expended for |
ands Cor prices which We're approved |
by the Federal officials without the
necessity of a single case for condemn
nation proceedings on the score of ex-
,essive price asked.
Two or three condemnation suits
we're required because the title to GER
ain lands was in such form that #
'ould not be conveyed otherwise. |
other lands which the government de-
Tres for Notifications are held in the
anne manner and that is an addition
i reason why immediate provision
hould be made for acquiring these =
ties. The suit to acquire the naval |
tation site was prolonged over two {
ears and delay in beginning these |
u1tS might result in the desired sites .
OF being available for the Federal |
government at a time when they might
e wanted for immediate use. {
"As you already know, the sum es-
imat ted by the chief of engineers as q
eeded for all the sites required to '
omplete the fertilization plan is $685.
10. The Secretary of War has cut |
his amount down to $15O00O, and it
'ould certainly appear that at least
ne latter sum should be reported by
our committee. OF the other two
ems submitted in the estimates, $780,
10 is for the construction of en-
lacements and a little over s300,OOD
II ordnance and equipment Both or
1ese items have also been cut in half Il
ON the original recommendations of
lie engineering board. These reduc-
ons in the. estimates have been made
V the Secretary of War. not because
= did not favor the entire sum, but
'lely for the purpose of bringing the II
'tal for Notifications within the
mount which it was thought the
reasury could meet for this class of il
DIRK during this fiscal year.
In view of the Presidents recon- | ii
endations on this subject we have e.
'ped that the entire estimate for | A,
ese purposes will be favorably rec u
mo n nlI h., 4
ERNEST c. WALKER. | W
49,