Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-01-28
MCCLELLAN AND MCROSSON
FIGURE IN HEARING BEFORE
congress COMMITTEE ON BILL

island of Hawaii: Lands of Hakala
plantation, 6S5 acres"
The Chairman: Where is that plan
tation?
Mr.. Mcclellan That is over her,
(indicating).
Mr.. McCrosson: That is on TIN
windward side.
Mr.. Mcclellan: Six hundred ant
eighty-five acres have been withdrawn
from that plantation. From the
Hutchinson Sugar Company, 2,20(
acres. That is on the southeastern
side
Mr. Humphreys: What is the period
Co.?
Mr. McClellan: This does not state
whether that is one of the present
leases, made for 10 or 10 years, OF
whether it is an old lease. Also, from
Hawaiian Agriculture Co., 1,044 acres
are withdrawn, and from the Honokaa
Sugar Co, 1915 acres.
Mr.. Humphreys: Under the terms
of the lease the sugar company leases
land from the Territory, and then
those lands may be homesteaded?
Mr.. Mcclellan: The Government
reserves the right under these leases
to withdraw that land at any time for
homestead purposes. | cite facts to
show that that clause is by no means
a dead letter; that it is actually ex-
ercised by the Government.
The Chairman: These Withdrawals
were recently made by the commits
sioner of public lands in Hawaii?
Mr.. Mcclellan: Yes, within the last
two months.
The Chairman: For what purpose
is he withdrawing these lands?
Mr.. Mcclellan: He is Offering them
for homesteads, Mr.. Chairman.
Mr.. Good: Under the law that we
passed at the last session of Con-
gress?
Mr.. Mcclellan: Yes
The Chairman One word further,
Mr. Mcclellan. Have these lands
which he is withdrawing, that have
been heretofore leased to these sugar
corporations, been cultivated, do you
understand?
Mr.. Mcclellan: Yes, sir; consid-
cradle part of them are their best
lands. Part of them are, | take it,
lands that they may be using for
grazing purposes; but most of them
are cultivated lands.
Mr.. Mcclellan: Mr. McCrosson tells
me that none of these lands with
drawn in the last year were pasture
lands, but that they are cultivated
lands. Now, that brings me to one of
the crucial points, in my judgment, of
this bill. You will doubtless receive
in a few days from the Interior De-
partment "a copy of lengthy docu-
ment written by the governor to the
Interior Department, going into the
reasons of this matter In that letter
Gov. Frear points out that the recla-
nation work in Hawaii has practical
ly been carried on in Hawaii by the
sugar corporations. They have tax
en- these lands under leases. In some
cases the leases were made at nomi-
nal and low rates. They took these
LANDS, which were just such jungle as
you gentlemen have seen in Hawaii,
and reclaimed them and made them
available now for men to go on and
homestead and make homes on in
a practicable and financially eco
nomic way.
Now, the proposition that comes
up in this irrigation matter is sub
that same thing. The in
dividual homesteader generally can
not develop these lands himself in
the first instance. At any rate there
is not anything like body of land
available for homesteads in any one
place that would enable the home
steaders to cooperate and raise the
capital necessary for this irrigation
The immediate PROPOSE
ton which is under consideration is
the carrying of water clear from this
point here Gndicating), on the wind
ward side of Hawaii, about 80 miles,
clear around here to this
part OF the island (indicating). 1t
will involve an immense amount of
m nita1 IN dnSJhnt
The Chairman; | am trying to get
the matter right in my mind, but is
there any limitation? For illustration,
a sugar corporation is permitted to
lease an area of land. 1t enters upon
that land, removes holders or squat
Lers, removes the jungle, irrigates it,
and reduces it to state of cultiva-
ton. Is there any intimation as to
The commissioner of public lands hav-
ing it in his power to withdraw that
and? May he Immediately withdraw
It after the jungle has been remov-
ed? ~
Mr.. Mcclellan That matter is
'eallv in the discretion of the land