The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-11-06

I
Baker feared the proposed action
might be little premature.
There is very little speculation
about it, Quinn calculated, ''when
Mr.. Woolley has gone to Washington
to support the bill"
Coelh0 said there was more drunken
ness in prohibition States than in
others.
This was the only remark made on
the concrete question of prohibition.
The resolution passed by the votes
| of all present, namely Baker. Brown,
| Chilhngworth, Coelho, Harvey, Ka-
lama, Knudsen, Makekau, Mccarthy,
Quinn, Robinson, Smith, Woods.
Land Sales Embargo
On Harvey's concurrent resolution
requesting the government to refrain
from making any sales or exchanges
| of public lands except for certain pub
| lie purposes stated, Mccarthy moved
to insert wharves in the list of such
purposes. Carried.
"Are we not getting tangled up?"
Knudsen inquired. "We have already
adopted resolution containing our
sentiments on this subject.
Mccarthy said our public lands were
very limited and congress might not
act on their recommendations until
| next session.
Knudsen in further remarks contend
ed that the resolution would complicate
matters.
If this should pass" Woods rose
to inquire, ''what are we to do about
/ those homesteads that have already been
surveyed. Over in Kau the government
| has Just staked out some homesteads.
| They have also advertised other lands
! to be opened within a few days Then
can anyone assure me how long we may
not have to wait for congress?D
Chillingworth regarded it a question
of what was the best policy for our
lands. In the resolution just passed it
was proposed to appoint commission
of six members on land matters They
were there merely as the servants OF
| the people and their personal views
should not weigh when they were con-
sidering the wishes of the people. There
were only 1900 acres of agricultural
| land left, he was informed. Suppose
congress did not act on their bill at
next session, was it not right to protect
the interests of the people in the
mean time? He did not know much
about the question but well-informed
men had spoken to him about the de-
STABILITY of checking the indiscriminate
disposal of land. The interests of the
people should be protected, especially
those of the city of Honolulu. For in
stance there was the sale of the fire
station lot on Maunakea street, which
| the municipal officers had regarded as
reserved for fire department or other
city purposes. There was property that
ght be needed by the county of Ma
vi in Waikiki. This resolution follow
ed up house resolution No. l for the
amendment of the organic act. 1t sim
ply voiced the sentiments of the peO-
pie He might be wrong in the stand
he was taking but he felt perfectly
conscientious in the matter. 1t seemed
to him that Harvey's proposal was
right.
Woods doubted the statement that
there was not more than 1900 acres
of agricultural land remaining. There
was 5000 acres in Kohala district alone.
| President Smith called VicePresldent
/ Kalama to the chair and said it was
of very doubtful wisdom to pass the
resolution. They had seen to it IN the
concurrent resolution adopted by both
houses that the lands should be properly
guarded. He quoted the law passed at
last regular session authorizing the gov
eminent TO use the proceeds of Land
sales for the purchase Of property want
ed for public purposes. This replaced
the former policy of land exchanges on
a basis of valuation Acting on that
authorization the government had al
ready procured land needed for the
College of Hawaii and was now con
sidering a similar transaction In con-
nection with the central grammar
school on Emma street. They would
make a mistake in passing this resoIu-
ton.
Robinson asked Smith if it was not
true that the plantation kept all the
water in the Omaipio land exchange.
Coelho answered the query with
statement that the homesteaders on the
upper lands obtained in that deal were
doing well in raising crops including
pineapples. There was no stream to
water the lands but sufficient water for
household purposes. In supporting the
resolution he did not mean to criticize
the action of the government. He was
satisfied with what had been done on
Maui His objection to putting up
lands now was that the people wanting
homesteads had not the money to COM
pete for the lands at auction. He told
of ease where the people who made
the applications did not get one piece
of land. The same thing happened in
the opening of Alewa Heights town lots
People were advised to withdraw their
applications and save their money until
they could buy lots outright. Some of
them, however, mortgaged their little
holdings to raise the money but at the
sale failed to get lot.
Harvey moved for the passage of the
resolution as amended.
Baker said he was of the same opin
ion as the introdueer of the resOlu
ton with regard to the protection of
homesteads The land should be saved
for applicants later. What he was
afraid of, though, was a clash with the
constitutional powers of the executive.
The Organic Act gave the power of
disposing of the land to the executive.
By passing this resolution were they
not blockading the lawful powers of
the executive3 He liked the meaning