The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-01-15
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION OF
LAND LAW AMENDMENTS

The full discussion on the proposed
amendments TO the land laws, taken
part in by Governor Frear before the
Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto
Rico, of the Senate, is here given. Pre-.
hminary to the quoted sections of the
verbatim report of the proceedings, the
Governor had explained the sections
Nf the law as they Mt present exist,
'Ehe chairman of the committee is
Senator Foraker, the other members
being Senators Flint, Piles, Warner and
Milton.
The Chairman. Let me ask you what
quantity of land the government now
awusi
Governor Frear. One million six
hundred and seventy.six thousand
aeven hundred and five acres.
The Chairman. i was not expecting
such an accurate answer. Has there
been much government land disposed
af by the government during the last
sight years, since we assumed jurisdic-
sion thereY
Governor Frear. Considerable. Un.
der this act, which was enacted in 1895,
there have been disposed of 1910 home.
Steads.
The Chairman. Do you mean 1881
Governor Frear. Eighteen hundred
and ninety-five. These laws were en-.
acted by the Republic of Hawaii and
continued in force by act of Congress
In the Organic Act of the Territory, the
joint resolution of annexation having
provided that the general land laws of
the United States should not apply to
Hawaii, but that Congress should legis-
late specially on the subject.
The Chairman. The government had
TWO or three kinds of lands, did it mott
Governor F'rear. Yes. There were
the old crown lands, the income from
which went to the reigning sovereign
The Chairman. About what is the
amount of those landsi
Governor Frear. They amount,
think, to about 100000 or 100000
1cres.
The Chairman. Is that part of the
present estimate of 1,676,705 acresl
Governor Frear. 1t is. Upon the
overthrow of the monarchy the crown
lands became government lands, differ
ing no respect from other government
lands.
The Chairman. What other kind OF
land does the government have besides
the crown lands7
Governor Frear. There als what are
known as "school lands" consisting
of lands set aside in 1850 by the gov.
eminent for the support of schools
These are under the control of the de.
partment of public instruction and
may be sold or leased by that depart
ment. OF course, many of them are
used for school purposes.
The Chairman. They are part II
the same grand aggregate of 1,767,70e
acres that you mentioned9
Governor Frear. Yes. Then there i.
a portion of the public lands which il
in actual use for public purposes-as
for instance, for public building sites
parks, roads, forest reservations, anC
such things. These lands are under the
Department of Public Works, while tn,
general lands which are intended 70,
purposes of settlement are under thu
Commissioner of Public Lands.
Right here 1 may say that some pro
visions in this section are intended, fo
the purpose of simplicity, to put al
these lands under the Commissioner Of
Public Lands excepting SO far as por
lions of them may be transferred by
she Governor to other departments fol
their actual use.
The Chairman. Before you come tc
discussion of the proposed legislation
l wish to ask you a question of a gen
eral nature about your government
lands. You have spoken of the crown
lands and the school lands. Now, i,
there any other class of public lands
Governor Frear. There is no othe
class of public lands.