The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-08-16
Government Can Not Get Ma
huka Site Extension for the
Money Voted.
MEANS DELAY OR NEW SITE
Canvass of Situation Shows the
Government Must Either Con-
denim or Quit.
lTrom sntnrdavls Advertiger.l

There is not the slightest cHahce VI
an agreement between the property
owners and the federal government, on
the basis of an appropriation of $780,
600 for the Fort street additions to the
Mahuka site. Inquiry among the owners
of the property involved shows that
thew demand about $15O,OOO more than
the appropriation, and they are prepar-
ed to 90 to a Jury in n condemnation
suit and try to get it. The federal
building project is therefore deadlocked
for some time to come,
Some queer tax assessment records
have come to light in the investigation
Of the valuations. The appropriation
of $35OOOO is said to have been based
largely on the records Of the tax office,
where, it appears, the values are con.
siderably under $350,OO0. hundred
thousand was added for leeway. But it
is now found that the actual cash
values. as claimed by the owners and
to large extent provable from records,
are about half a million dollars.
In pursuance of the instructions
cabled to him, Collector Stackable is
making inquiries of the property own
ers. But it is perfectly evident that
as long as the government is bound by
limit of $3.50 900. This means either
series of condemnation suits, to allow
iuries to fix the price to be paid by the
government, or an abandonment of the
enlarged Mahuka site plan.
May Mean New Site.
1t may further mean an abandonment
of the Mahuka site altogether, and
choice of the Irwin site or some other
site. The Mahuka site, at the present
stage of the game, is not obtainahle,
unless the government is willing to ac-
cent the original Mahuka site, without
additions. As the departmental Off
cials in Washington appear to be all
opposed to this, the prospect is good for
long fight.
The only way out would be an in.
crease of the appropriation from $780,
600 TO about $5OO,OOO, but the way to
secure such an increase is said to be
difficult because of the understanding
riven to the congressional committee
on public buildings, that $35O,OOO was
enough. This proposition, again, harks
back to the tax Office returns. Dele
gate Kuhio did fine piece of work, as
he thought, and he certainly showed
much that he possessed strong influence,
when he got the $35O,OO0 appropriation.
He thought it was enough His reasons
for thinking so are to be found in the
tax office. Kuhio got a hundred thou.
sand more than the tax Office indicated
to be the value of the property, which
is admittedly "going some.
The question now is whether the
delegate can 90 back and present to the
same congressional committee the prop
ositiou that the property is worth about
$l5O,OOO more than he thought-and
get the $l5O,OOO.
Increased Values.
The principal parties interested are
the Austin estate, the Cummins estate
Castle 4 Cooke, Il. o. Hall & Son anC
the Hawaiian Trust Company. Tht
Fort street land from King street dowr
to about the middle of the block i
owned by the Austin estate, anc
the f. 0. Hall & Son building on it il
owned by Z. O. Hall & Son. They oc
cupv the land under a very old lease
at rental made so long ago that to
day. in view Of the increased values, j
is merely nominal. 1t has nine year
to run yet and the company figures tina
$4,000 a year would be a low renta
for the corner. This makes the leas
worth 100000. The building cost $75
600. Basing an estimate ON the rents
value, the lot is regarded as wort
about sl25OOO. This makes $4,000
for the q. o. Hall corner alone.
Elaborate Expenditures,
The corner into which Castle
Cooke are just moving sizes up at Rbot
$l50,OOO more. This es,imhtc also
practically a matter of recorded value
except tax office recorded values
is said that the Cummins estate has ha
a cash offer of $4,000 for the lot AZ
building Castle & Cooke have spe
about $4,000 on improvements, wi
n view to establishing permanent otic
there.
without giving figures E. D. Tenn
of Castle & Cooke yesterday stated ia
he had made the Improvements on
elaborate scale, under the eXpectati
that the firm Is occupancy Of the corn
would be for many years If not p
maneut Negotiations had been on
some time for a purchase OF the pr
erty already leased, Gas ! expect
that these negotiations would result
our acquiring the property said J
Tennoy, ''I went ahead with elab0r
ana expensive office Improvements
Mr.. Teuney suggested q hundred o
fifty thousand as about what the c
ner property would come 90.
This. added 20 the sg9000O for
Z. o Han corner, makes total
$4,000, with the land iu between
Han corner and tho Castle O. Co.
corner still 20 be heard from.
Estimates Based on Value.
On the value Of The intervening o.
and huildiugs an estimate uf ss5.
wus made yesterday ~ rs stated q
actual rents ohtanabo justify ]
valuation -uo mn.ter what the tax