The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-12-31

of a socialistic nature, but Il is at least
n serious question whether they are
not justified by the existing conditions.
They are intended TO overcome in part
respectively two of the great dihicul
ties-financial and transportation--in
the way of homesteading.
Homesteading in Hawaii.
tThe amount Of capital required for
putting n homestead on a paying basis
is unusually large in Hawaii-owing to
the high cost Of materials and trans
portation, the great expense of clear
ing the land, the heaviness Of the soils,
the length of time required for the
maturing of tropical crops, etc Thus
far capitalists have manifested but lit.
tie interest in farm loans. The idea
is to assist homesteaders. if that shall
be found safe and wise, by public
loans on proper security, somewhat as
is done in New Zealand, or by guaran-
ties of private loans. The legislature
has provided for commission to in
vestigate this subject and report its
findings and recommendations by Janu.
ary !, 1911.
Guaranteed Railroad Bonds.
"The inadequacy of transportation
facilities is perhaps the greatest and
most general obstacle to homesteading
in Hawaii. One of the hief needs IN
this direction is the construction of
more railroads on the larger isl1ads.
1t is believed that this need can be
met in large measure without ultimate
cost to the Territory by guaranteeing
the interest on railroad construction
bonds, as is done in the Philippines.
"If these provisions are too broad,
they may be narrowed or restrictions
may be added. The legislatures of Ha-
waii have throughout their seventy
years of history proved conservative,
and the exercise Of the powers in oues.
ton is in all cases subject to the ap.
proval of the President.
Hawaii's Land Laws.
"The joint resolution annexing Ha-
waii to the United States provided in
general that the laws of the United
States should not apply to the public
lands of Hawaii, but that congress
should legislate specially for such
lands, and that the revenues therefrom
should be used for public purposes in
Hawaii. In conformity with this pro.
vision, congress provided in the Or
ganic Act establishing the Territory
that the land laws of Hawaii should,
with a few amendments, continue in
force. Accordingly, the public lands of
Hawaii are now administered by terri
torial officers under the former land
laws of Hawaii.
"These laws were enacted in 1895,
soon after the termination of the mon
archy, and were taken in part from
the New Zealand laws. They were
well adapted to the then. existing con-
ditions, but since then not only have
conditions changed but devices have
been discovered for evading the spirit
| of the laws and it is now generally
agreed that they must be amended in
order adequately to effectuate the
homesteading purpose.
A Difficult Problem.
"Homesteading is at best difficult
problem in Hawaii-the conditions are
SO different from those on the mainland
and so different in different parts of
| Hawaii. So far as results in home
steading are concerned, the lands of
Hawaii may in general way be divid'
ed into two classes, namely, G) those
having reasonably good transportation
facilities, known to be cultivable in
profitable crops, and not too expensive
to clear, and (2) other lands. There
are nearly nine hundred lots of the
second class surveyed and open for
settlement but very few people who
are willing to be pioneers enough to
take them, while for land of the first
class there is scramble. Homestead
ing consists largely in converting lands
of the second class into those of the
first class by providing transportation
facilities, demonstrating what can be
! produced, etc. This is done partly by
the government through the construc
tion of roads, experimentation etc.
and partly by lessees who are willing
to develop the land and make it fl