The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-04

OF the following communication
from Hon. Carl s. Smith of Hilo, Ha.
wall regarding the bill for county rec
ord offices, at present pending before
the House:
Alfred d. Cooper, Chairman, Territor.
ial Central Committee, Honolulu,
T. H.
Dear Sir:-At the request of sew
eral of the Republicans who we're in.
terested in having inserted in the Ter
ritorial platform, Section IS, which
provides for the recording of instru.
ments of conveyances in the counties
where the property conveyed is sit
uated, l have spent a considerable
amount of time in the preparation of
such bill Inasmuch as have draft
ed three separate acts for each ses-
sion of the Legislature for 1905, 1907,
and 1909, l am fairly familiar with
the necessities of this bill
When it was finally completed,
submitted it to Governor Frear, who
gave it more than ready study, and
at his suggestion have made numer-
Gus amendments.
/ The bill thus to be presented is
there fore the careful work of several
years, and has had the mature con-
sideration of the Governor. will sub
init the bill to the Speaker of the
,Hbuse of Representatives with the
request that he see to it that it is
properly introduced and pushed
through at as early date as possible.
Very much to my surprise, a num-
Der of gentlemen in the House and in
the Senate elected upon the Republic.
an ticket find that this legislation
does not meet with their practical
views, and so are TO be relied upon
as unfavorable to this, or any other
measure, which will carry out the
pledge contained in the party plat
form. From the standpoint of COM
mon honesty and decency it is going
to be necessary for this Legislature
to pass a bill which looks to the re-
cording of instruments in the vari-
GUS counties.
! am sorry to say that some Of our
Republicans do not look at the matter
from this standpoint 1t will be nee
essary to urge upon them, with some
considerable insistence. that the next
campaign is going to be difficult for
the Republican party, just in so far
as the Republican pledges of last
year are disregarded.
Aside from the fact that the Repub
lican party has pledged itself to this
particular piece of reform, 1 would
like to call your attention, and
through you the attention of the ex-
ecutive committee and the Republic
an members of the Legislature some
facts, which seem to be overlooked il
a discussion of this measure. Nowher,
else in the United States is there an!
such condition of affairs, relative L
the recording of instruments, such a
exists here. In this Territory, how
- ever, there are much stronger rea
sons for legal record of conveyance
than elsewhere, for the reason tina
we have such infrequent communica
lions between the outside Island
I and the capital. I can give you
several intances of cases where per
= sons attempting to purchase land o.
the island of Hawaii have made an e1
= animation of the Honolulu records
and, finding them satisfactory, hav
taken a conveyance, only to find on
= when Their convenience is recorded
prior conveyance has been recorde
between the taking of their instr
ment and the recording of it.
1t is objected by the Honolulu bus
ness men that all of the business
done in Honolulu and the record
! should be kept here. This is SCI
ious mistake, but it is to be explaine
ed by reason of the fact that sue
condition of affairs existed in forme
years.
At present we have on the islam
z of Hawaii four banks and one trus
: company, all of whom make oonside
able loans upon real estate on tn
Island of Hawaii. Practically non
of the Honolulu banks make any sue
a loans. l am informed that a simils
il condition exists on Maui and Kaua
It is also objected that the cost {
transcribing records now in Honolul