The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-03-21
RADICAL CHANGE IN
LAND LAW PROPOSED

"
quest that Congress pay over 20 the
Territory one.thifd Of The proceeds Of
| the customhouac for the support Of the
, schools The so-called "vcsied In
terests" through the leading financial
organizations here have gone upon
record rs being opposed to any increase
in the taxes at this time. Your com.
mittee. believing that Hawaii should be
sufficient unto itself to take care of its
children and sick without asking fnan-
cial aid of congress, has, upon investi-
cation, found that there are about 40.-
| 600 scres of developed agricultural
lands with water belonging to the Ter
ritory. which lands are under lease to
corporations and in many instances at
very low rentals Upon the expiration
Of these leases. should the lands and
water be withdrawn from the restric-
tons or obligations of the Organic Act
and placed in the hands of a board,
of say FIVE members, the chairman of
which should be the Governor, we have
ample evidence to warrant the prophecy
that these lands and water would bring
into the Territory in rents and taxes
at least $400,00000 a year. which rev
enue should be available only for APP
preparations in the interests of educa-
ton and health. Some may oppose this
idea on the ground that the withdrawal
Of the developed agricultural lands from
the provisions of the Organic Act for
homesteRders would interfere with
demonstrating.
More Lands Available.
Your committee is assured that as
much and more undeveloped land and
water is available for such purpose. to
which they recommend homesteaders
be given free access. If deemed sdvis-
able. but it does not seem fair to the
inhabitants of the Territory that de-
veloped lands and water, capable of
producing such large yearly revenue,
being equivalent to per cent. on
$S,0000 100000 should be practically Civ
en- away to a small percentage of the
inhabitants of the Territory, or to i'm
migrants to arrive, when the needs in
the way of education and health of the
inhabitants of the Territory are so
great.
With the approaching completion of
the Panama Canal, precursing large,
varied, and, as to infectious diseases,
dangerous commerce, it is necessary to
make use of every available source of
income to render Honolulu, around
which the United States is spending
vast sums in creating a naval and mill
tary stronghold, by the use of modern
sanitary methods, as free from disease
as possible.
y AS to the question of policy, your
committee being impressed with the
present and future need for funds in
, the interests of education andehealth
look with favor upon the policy EN-
bodied in the resolution, as its adop
ton would result in making the lessee:
of the public lands pay for the use %
/, same, the maximum revenue in the in
: terests of the education and health O.
: the people.
). Improper Rentals.
/ While it may be true that alread,
> the corporations are heavily taxed
;, it is equally true that the present rem
y tails paid to the government are on
|; of all proportion to their value. 0winl
to the provisions of the Organic Act
: NO lease of agricultural lands can b
/ made which is more than, a tenancy a
/ will, therefore prospective lesseps ar
= only justified in offering small rental
}, owing to the uncertainty of tenure o
any lease which the government ca
y grant.
r, The short term lease has also give
a, rise to the practice among tenants 0
d, neglecting the principles of good hu'
ID bandry, the limited term militatin
s. against the expenditure of time an
). money necessary to insure scientifi
u conservation of the soil; thereby grea
IS ly reducing, rather than enhancing, a
5 good husbandry would, the yielding CT
e, pacity of the land.
II
d tributable to the indefinite term leas
system, your committee finds that
one district where 5000 acres of publ
t, developed land with a daily flow {
j. 100000 gallons of water were 70
$. merly operated under lease which ha
o. expired and had not been renewed fl
s. five years, the falling off in revenu'
in the way of taxes and rentals, ett
S; has amounted to approximately 5000
n, per annum.
B. While being in accord with the spir
a of the resolution your committee is
s. the opinion that it is unfair while a
Ii, are suffering to single out any one j
70. stitution of education or health for 7
d, lief, and would therefore, present Fl
consideration the accompanying resol
tion which is broader in character, an
~ - boilcNcui wiz meet Win HOIe &c
eral favor.
The Proposed Law.
An act to provide for the suppo
III and maintenance of the public sehoo
III health and sanitation.
= Be it enacted by the senate al
: house of representatives of the Unit
= States in congress assembled:
e Section l. That for a period of fif
- years from and after the passage
=. this act, all the developed public la
and all developed water of the Ter
tory of Hawaii, less such porti
thereof as may have been set asi
lce for specific purposes, together with
Ier rights, easements, privileges, appart'
ne anees, rents, issues and profits there
IN shall be held and administered by
ien commission Of which the Governor
ne the Territory of Hawaii and the la
US commissioner, or other person hold
position corresponding thereto, sh
- be ex-offieio members, the remain
-; three members TO be appointed by I
- Governor; said three members to
~ appointed respectively for terms
~ four, six and eight years and shall
- | Vamnvahla nv tha CovarnoF NTH I