The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-04-01


terday's mail. 1t is signed by Ralph
ID. Cole, of Ohio, as chairman and James
w. Good of Iowa. Both have been here,
the former with the first party of con
gressmen several years ago, and Good
with the Bartholdt party last year.
Their report offers various amendments
to the senate bill, the most important
being provision that the land commits
sioner shall open any public lands,
leased or other, whenever twenty-five
applicants ask it. The report of the
committee also changes the bill so as
to make the compensation of legislators
$500. The following is from the report:
Hon. Z. l.. Hamilton, Chairman Com.
mittee on the Territories.
Sir:-Your subcommittee have made
a careful and detailed examination of
the bill Is. 3360) referred to us, and
unanimously recommend that the bill
should be favorably reported, with GER
tain amendments hereinafter described.
The substance of the pending bill was
considered at length by the committee
on the territories in the sixtieth con-
gress.
As the legislation contained in this
bill has been considered at great
length by the people of Hawaii through
their press and political parties; as it
has been passed upon by their legisla-
ture and has been presented repeated
ly before this committee, your subeom-
mittee believe that the time has come
when action should be taken on the
bill. The disposition of the public
lands in Hawaii is the most important
matter now affecting the welfare and
do Nf tho+
the laws controlling those lands are
proper that we should now make such
changes as win best make possible the
placing and maintaining of more citizen
homesteaders on the public lands.
The principal changes in the land
homesteading absolutely to American
ing" in homesteading, and to eliminate
all speculation in homestead lands;
third, to prohibit the sale of homestead
lands to any corporation or to indiv.
iduaI holders. of more than so acres of
| land.
The Delegate from Hawaii suggests,
and your subcommittee recommend, that
specific authority be given the legis-
|
condemnation of rights of way for irri-
| cation bitches.
Your subcommittee refers back for
consideration by the full committee the
question as to whether we should re-
insert the provisions, str cken out in
the senate, authorizing the Territory
to guarantee loans to homesteaders and
to transportation companies
| Tho t,rouieinOc nf Sect ion x anUarip r
changes in the general homestead land
laws of the Territory, are approved by
us as designed to accomplish the de-
sired ends above stated. viz, to secure
bona fide citizen homesteaders who VIII
remain on and develop the land home
steaded; to prevent repeating" and
speculation in government lands; and,
further, to prevent title of such lands
passing either to corporations or to
large individual holders.
We recommend that that portion of
Section 8 of the bill beginning on line
10, page G, and continuing through line
4 of page Z, be amended.
This constitutes proper provision
to permit the securing of title to home
sites by purchase by those who have
made improvements on such sites and
resided thereon since April 80, 1900.
The parties affected include some Ha-
waiians who have lived on certain
house sites for many years; it will also
include the Portuguese who have built
many cottages on government leased
land on the slopes of Punchbowl, and
who have converted steep barren hill
slope into slightly group of working
men s homes.
Lines . to 10, on page z, make a SINH
lar provision as to church sites. The
provision in regard to the exchange of
lands, covered by lines IL to 10, on
page of the bill, should be amended
in the following terms: Strike out all
of lines IL to 10, inclusive, ON page I.
and insert the following:
No sale of lands for other than
homestead purposes, except as herein
provided, and no exchange By which the
Territory shall convey lands exceeding
either forty acres in area or five thou
sand dollars in value shall be made. No
lease of agricultural lands exceeding
forty acres in area, or of pastoral or
waste lands exceeding two hundred
acres In area, shall be made without the
approval of two-thirds of the board of
public lands, which IS hereby consti.
tuted, the members of which are 10 bs
appointed by the governor as provided
in section eight of this act, and until
the legislature shall otherwise provide,
said board shall consist Of six members
and It's members be appointed for terms
Of four years. Provided, however, that
the commissioner may, with the ap
prevail of said board, sell for residence
purposes lots and tracts not exceeding
three acres In area, and that sales OF
government lands may be made upon
the approval Of said board Whenever
necessary 20 locate thereon railroad
rights ~ way, railroad tracks, side
tracks, depot grounds, pipe llnes, lrFiga
lion bitches, pumping siations, Tssef
Yoifs, faeioIles asa mills ana appnfie
nnneea thefpio Including houses foI ein
plOyes, meIeaniilp eslabllshmrntsi no
tote, ehnrehee nnd nfiYaie feboplHi ana
AZ anfb sales shall 10 ilmilsi 20 ihs
Rmapnf actually necessary ~ the ess
noRleal eapdufl ~ speh business a
undertaking. Provided lur hfF, thai a
nseheaHe NJ rrf = snfni lnnAf fhai