The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-12
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION OF
LAND LAW AMENDMENTS

Y
line IL, page 4. is intended to limit
the area that may be acquired by one
family; also to prevent repeating; and
also to prevent the disposition of pub
lie lands to aliens.
On page there are provisions
against disposing of the land by lease
or otherwise until after patent OBJ,
tanned.
The Chairman. Are there many
large landed estates there privately
owned9
Governor Frear. Yes.
The Chairman. How large are some
of thems
Governor Frear. The largest is that
owned by the Bishop Estate. 1t con-
tains 375.O00 acres. Then there are a
number of others which are very large.
| Mr.. Mcclellan. The Bishop Estate
is a charitable trust, Senator.
The Chairman. Yes; I know it is.
Senator Warner. How do the other
large estates compare with the Bishop
| Estate2
Governor Frear. There are num-
Der of other tracts owned by single
| individuals or corporations or estates,
| the largest of which, l think, does not
exceed 100000 acres owned in fee SIM
pie. There is one property consisting
+, of 100000 acres, but large portion
| of it is under lease, some from the
government and some from private par
| ties.
| The Chairman. Are those lands
under cultivation, practicallya
Governor Frear. Not as rule.
! Portions of them are under cultiva-
| ton. Very large portions of them are
| incapable of cultivation, being cover
ed with recent lava flows or being
above the line of possible vegetation
| high upon the mountains-or cut uI
by canyons with precipitous sides.
| The Chairman. Such lands as you
now describe are of no value at all,
supposed
Governor Frear Large portions OF
these large estates are of little value
For instance the Bishop estate consists
Of 375,O00 acres. A recent investigation
by an expert has resulted in finding
that only per cent of it is arabic. :
think myself it is an underestimate, bu
still that was the report.
! Senator Flint. Can you give us tn
names of other large landholders an
the amount of land in those estate
| that is cultivated or can be cultivated
Governor Frear. | can give yo
: names; [ could not give you areas. Th
Campbell estate owns 10000 acres. NJ
Aubrey Robinson owns an entire island
1 would not want to say just what til
area is, but over 10000 acres. M
T Charles Gay owns an entire island {
l about 100000 acres. Mr.. Samuel No
ris owns tract of 1S4, 900 acres.
y firm known as Gay & Robinson owns
large area; I could not state what IL
g area is. Mr. H. p. Baldwin is anoth,
! owner of large areas. Certain corpor
9 tions own large areas, the Haleaka
Ranch Company, fer instance.
The Chairman. Were those large c
!. tates acquired since annexation or b
! fore9
: : Governor Frear. Almost entirely b
: fore.
The Chairman. Has there been mu
? acquisition of land in Hawaii by Amel
cans since annexation2
Governor Frear. Not as much
= could be desired. In 1890 a good MAJ
] Americans settled there. They we
% into the coffee industry, which had
boom then, but it did not pan out as W
= expected and many of them had
y throw up their holdings More recent
= we have, through private enterprise al
Z the work of the federal experiment st
ton, the territorial bureau of agricr
ture and forestry, the planters expel
= ment station, and other means, develo
:, ed other industries than sugar-indu
tries that are more suitable to the sma
proprietor, such as the production
pineapples, rubber, sisal, tobacco, co
ton, and so on, and these are givir
much promise of success in the settl
ment of lands by Americans, particula
ly the pineapple industry.
The Chairman. Do you produce II
same kind of cotton there that we pr
e duce in our Southern Statesa
L Governor Frear. / think not. "
produce the sea-island cotton.
IS The Chairman. The other is lor
; staple.
Governor Frear. That industry
d only just beginning this year. 1t hi
not gone very far.
IL The Chairman. There is not gre
e production of cotton there. About no
u much coffee do you produce there nov
Governor Frear. It varies greatly.
W can not give it to you in pounds, b.
&c in value it varies from perhaps $1,000
to $250,000 worth a year.
u The Chairman And is that pro6u
Il ton increasing since annexation, or
re minishing?
r Governor Frear. 1t remains abo
u stationary.
'r The Chairman. 1t is about standil
Us still9
ne Governor Frear. Yes.
10 The Chairman. As to sugar, he
al much of that are you producing now
: compared with the period prior to a
Oh nexation?
o. Governor Frear This last err
he which was 10000 tons larger than a
M previous crop, was $4,000 tons.
as The Chairman. That is cane sue
'e- altogether9
r. Governor Frear. Altogether
eo The Chairman. You have no b.
ny sugar?
US Governor Frear. No beet sugar.
es' The Chairman. Are these large
IVh tates devoted to sugar or coffee9
,er Governor Frear. Some of them.
To- the lower portions of the land, par
az ularly; the arabic parts are in la
ere r1aaSllpa 1aoSaJ -