The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-11-27

Governor Carter in the Capitol yester-
day afternoon between $50 ana $3.50
o'clock. The Governor had called
public meeting to talk over the propo-
sition of the Territory disposing of its
interests in Lanai. amounting, approx
imately to $4,000 acres of land.
Those who gathered at he appointed
time represented the community very
fairly. The Governor called for frank
expression Of opinion as to whether the
island, as far as the government IS
concerned, should be exchanged Tor
other lands needed by the Territory for
improvements, sold, or reserved Tor
possible agricultural development and
homesteading. The opinions expressed
had every indication of sincerity anG
the majority were very emphatically in
favor of giving, for consideration,
the governments interests in the islanu
into the hands of one man or BODY OF
men who could control it and look
after its welfare saving it from fur
Their retrogression and converting us
barrenness to some utility.
These opinions were given with the
recommendation, in most cases. direct
" or indirectly that Charles Gay, no"
controlling considerable acreage on
Lanai. be given the island for a cattle
ranch, the general belief seeming TO pe
that AGRICULTURAL development was al
together out of the question on account
Of the scarcity of water and that nc
use other than that of ranching coulc
be made of what one present was
n1eased to term a barren, wind-sWept
isle" and what another was inclined
70 compare with the tabled and troplc
underworld in point of dryness.
No decision was reached or indicated.
That was not the purpose of the meet
ing. The idea was to get an expression
of public opinion and this was secur-
ed. Governor Carter presided and brief
" announced the nature of the meet
| ing and Land Commissioner Pratt
with maps and other data, was in evil
dence with historic, geographic and
meteorological information.
Among those who gathered in the
Governors office were Charles Gay o.
! Lanai, H. e. Cooper, Attorney ADJ
ram Lewis. F. S. Dodge, Senator w. o,
| Smith. Hon. L. L. McCandless, Mr..
Barker, George Markham, Mr.. Holt
Hon. E. A. Knudsen of Kauai, Col.
Sam Parker, Eben Low, L. G.. kellogg
of pineapple fame, Territorial Treasur-
er Campbell, Bert PetersonS B. F. Dill
bingham, John Kidwell, w. NJ. Giffard'
Forester Hosmer and representatives
of the press.
In his remarks preceding general
discussion the Governor stated that II
was the policy of the government
wherever possible, to effect the sub
division of land in small holdings rath-
er than concentration of land power
There was no rigid rule to be applied
to the matter in hand; the government
had sometimes been asked to define lts
land policy and subdivision rathei
than concentration was, Whenever
practical, the best policy. The ques-
ton was what was best for the lslano
of Lanai. Government lands on Lanai
under present laws, might be devoted
say for five year terms, to sisal, but II
took four years to get the first crop OF
sisal: on this account no one seemed
willing to go into sisal on Lanai. L
there was water the land could, OF
course, be put to other use
The government holdings on Lanai
said the Governor, are peculiar, leases
expiring at different times and this rae
further complicated matters. What was
the best use for the greatest number
TO which Lanai could be put?
Land Commissioner Pratt, called up
~, NV the Governor to speak, stated
that some 47OOO acres of Lanai were
owned by the government and abou
40 900 acres were owned privately l
was all very much cut up, the private
Woodworking with government lands
The only water supply was from
spring at the head of a gulch Iher'
were 5000 acres of good land whlci
might be cultivated if sufficient waite
were obtainable. The soil, while yer!
good in places, in the basin in particu
lar, was of such a nature as not u
retain moisture.
Mr.. Pratt gave the record of the rain
fall on Lanai covering the last nin
years 1t showed an average year,!
fall of S2.52 inches, mostly in tn
months of November December Janu
airy and February. Sometimes 1t ha'
been as low as Is inches in month
Stock raising had been the industry o
the island Experiments in agricul
ture had been made without success
for lack of water.
Mr.. Pratt said he had asked Messrs
]. F. Brown, Paul Jarrett and Captain
Kidwen to visit the island and put
valuation on the government holdings
They had done so and their report
were open for inspection
Mr.. Pratt said he had reported to tn
Governor in the matter with the rec
concentration that an exchange be Ell
fected; that the Territory take In eN
change lands that could be utilized an
that Lanai be put into hands with cap
ital for Improvement. Jarrett ne salu
had valued the Territory holqlng'
AZ, 44S acres, at $6S,SO5,5O; Brown at $o''
= g107 05Q They na