The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-04-23
PUNCHBOWL
LOTS REPORT

apart suitable portions of public lands
for the occupation OF such persons as
may desire to obtain homesteads. Such
lands shall be selected only from agri-
cultural and pastoral lands, and shall
be laid out in lots of not over eight
acres in first class agricultural land
not over sixteen acres in second class
agricultural land. not over one acre in
wet land, etc. We believe 1t will be a
misfortune that this part OF the law
should be repealed. This part of the
land laws providing as 1t does for the
practical giving of land for homesteads
with conditions as to descent, against
assigning, mortgaging, etc, is of great
benefit to Hawaiians.
House Bill No. 66, by amending Sec
ton 276. removes the right of the Com
missioner. with the consent of the
Governor, to sell any public lands and
by amending Section 27S takes away
the right of the Commissioner to make
leases of public lands.
We think this is mistake. All pub
lie lands are not suitable for sale or
disposal in small parcels, and in many
instances, i'm order that the same may
be cultivated or made useful at all,
leases of large areas have to be made.
If many of the lands now under Lease
to plantations and others. and made
tillable by waters which belong to the
plantations and other private interests,
are cut up into small parcels without
water rights, they will be practically
useless for any purpose.
. Section 277 of the Revised Laws may
therefore be amended without refer
ence to Congress of the United States
and we think that, independently of
the advisability of applying such pro-
ceeds for any of said purposes other
than for the bonded indebtedness and
purchase of other lands, such matter
should be covered by a separate Act.
In view of the Importance of the
subject and of the general feeling in
the community of these islands that
the present public land system and
its administration should be improved,
we believe that 1t would be desirable
that a Commission be appointed to in
vestigate the legal operation and eff
feet of the land laws, the manner of
their enforcement and administration,
and their general adaptability with re-
spect ito existing conditions, and to re-
port upon the matter; we therefore
present herewith a draft of joint reso-
luton relating to the subject and rec
ommend that 1t be adopted.
: We recommend that House Bill No
&C be laid upon the table.
JOINT RESOLUTION.
Be it resolved by the Legislature of
the Territory of Hawaii:
That the Governor of the Territory
shall, as soon as Practicable after the
approval of this resolution, appoint a
commission of three persons, to be
known as the Land Commission.
Said Land Commission shall thor
oughly examine the laws of this Terri
tory relating to public lands. and shall
consider and investigate the legal oper-
alton and effect of said laws, the man.
ner of their enforcement and adminis-
tration and their general adaptability
with respect to existing conditions
Said Land Commission shall consider
ways and means for the revision and
of said laws If they shall
deem 1t necessary or advisable that
said laws be revised
Said Commissioners shall serve with
out pay and. ......... dollars shall be
made available for the expenses of
the Commission, including legal SER
vices and clerical assistance.
Said Land Commission shall make
report of their work to the Governor
not later than July 1, 1908. Such re-
port shall include all their recommen-
dations pertaining to said land laws,
and the enforcement and administra-
ton thereof, together with such bill
or bills, to be presented to the Legis-
lature, to carry into effect such rec
concentrations as they may so pre-
pare.
Senator Bishop received information
he sought in the matter of bids for
the journal and the tenders
are called for.
THE LAST CALL.
Senate Bill No. no, relating to am,
balances, was called on the order of
The day but action was postponed owing
to the asence of Senator Chillingworth
His Bill No. los, relating to the flash
test of gasoline, was reported upon
adversely as the committee found that |
gasoline or gas engine distillate is not |
included in the chapter the bill calls |
% amend and the committee is not |
prepared to recommend the passage of |
he bill.
House Bill No. 175 relates to the
Jumping of rubbish, including OIL in
20 the harbor. 1t was the occasion of |
| little good-natured bout between the
Senators and as Maui had not been
heard from action was deferred to the
nth.
ANOTHER VETO.
AT 1915 a. m. Secretary Atkinson
approached the Senate and the sergeant
.t-arms announced the arrival OF "a
Message from the Governor. This
ime it put the kibosh on another small
'armer aid in the interest of the
anchmen and sugar plantations. When
he message was Nead Senator Woods
emarked that the principal objection
eemed to be based on the fact that
mother law existed, an objection which,
n the Senator's mind, could be easily
DIRECTED. He moved that action be de-
erred until Monday and the motion