The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-11-22
IRRIGATION BILL.
READY FOR
CONGRESS
John T. MCCrossOn Leaves for
Washington Today With
Draft Proposed.
GENERAL IN ITS TERMS
Full Text Herewith iven-Rights
of Homesteaders Guarded
if Bill Passes.
GENERAL IN ITS TERMS

John It. McCrosson, promoter and the
real genius behind the two Hamakua
irrigation bitches and the proposed Kau
irrigation ditch of the Island of Ha-
wall, where it is proposed to build a
ninety-mile ditch from Hilo and Puma
district around the lower side of the
crater of Kilauea and through the arid
Kau district, leaves on tine China to-
day en- route to Washington He will
carry a bill which is to be introduced
at the coming session of congress,
which will give the proposed company
a valuable right to run the ditch
through a certain section of govern
ment and leased lands and be at the
same time, one of the biggest home
stealing inducements yet asked of con
gress.
The bill has been drawn up carefully
and has the endorsement of Governor
Frear. The proposition, viewed in it's
broad sense, purposes to make present
arid country into q blossoming series
of blooming homesteads and sugar cane
plantations. The Kau district is
sparsely settled now because of the
lack of water. The plantations there
depend mainly upon whatever water
can be developed close by, and the
crops are therefore limited in their ton
mage, and oftentimes fall below the
estimates of the managers.
President Ed. POLITE of Hutchinson
plantation, who is one of the hackers
of the measure, expresses the opinion
that the government lands will not only
become veW valuable for homestead
ing, but the Hutchinson plantation can
be developed into 10000 tons PROPOSE
ton.
This BILL relating to the irrigation
and reclamation of public lands in the
Territory of Hawaii, amends the act
entitled "An Act to provide a govern
ment for the Territory of Hawaii, I" ap-
proved April 10, 1900. The proposed
measure does not mention the locality
through which the proposed ditch is to
run. 1t is general in it's terms and pro-
vides for any and all irrigation com
panies, reading as follows
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the Uni
ted States of America in Congress As
sembled, That section seventy-thl of
an Act entitled "An Act to provide a
government for the Territory of Ha-
wall" approved April thirtieth, nine
teen hundred and eight, and May TWEEN
ty-seventh, nineteen hundred and ten,
is hereby amended by adding thereto
the following:
"The commissioner, with the APP
proval of the Governor, may lease for
not exceeding fifty years to any irriga-
ton company organized for the purpose
of developing, storing, conveying and
distributing water for irrigation pur-
poses, any or all such public lands as
are capable of being economically irri-
gated from the waterways of such com
pany. Any lands SO leased may, with
the consent of the commissioner and
approval of the Governor, be subleased
subject to the provisions hereof to any
individual or corporation using or de-
string to use water from the waterways
of such company. Any such lease may
be made subject to any unexpired lease
of any or all such lands, and shall con-
tam appropriate provisions to secure
the construction and maintenance of
the necessary works for supplying such
lands with water, and the reveIsion of
such works to the Territory upon the
determination Of the lease, and such
other provisions as may be deemed
necessary or proper by the commission
er and the Governor for the benefit of
such lands and their occupants and for
the public interest.
"Any or all of the lands, so leased
may at any time during the term of
the lease be withdrawn for public pur-
poses, or homesteaded or sold for other
purposes under the laws relating to pub
lie lands in Hawaii, in which case the
rent reserved shall be reduced in pro-
portion to the value of the land so
withdrawn, homesteaded or sold; pro-
vided that no such land shall be so
homesteaded OF sold, unless with the
consent Of the irrigation company, ex-
cept upon condition that the home
steader or purchaser shall, in addition
to the price, if any, payable to the
Territory for the land without the wa
ter, pay to the irrigation company in
halfyearly installments, during the
term of such lease, at the lowest rate
payable by any consumer of water fur
nished by the company for any pur-
pose, for such amount of water as shall
be determined by the commissioner and
the Governor to be required for such
land and its occupants for irrigation,
domestic and other purposes, not ex-
eeeding, however such proportionate
quantity of all the water flowing in
the company's waterways as the area
of such land bears to the total area Of
lands capable Of being economically
irrigated from such Waterways in
which ease tho homeateador or pur
chaser shalr be entitled b., and the
company shall be obliged 10 furnish 20
him, az such rate, such amount Of Vater
from tho waterways of The said com
pany, and at the same rate such addi'
iional water, 20 far a. ayailable, 40 he
may desire Tor usn GA such Hand, but in
no caHe shall DO bo entitled 20 take, OF
no eompany he obliged 10 furnish, any
uufh Naier except for beneficial nee
upon uaeh land fallnrp 10 pay any
tWo such lnsinllmenis when due, phall