Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-10

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I don't think they were bona fide
homesteaders. a. some- were boys
from Is to 81 years OF age.
Were they all boys ind men, or
were some Of them girls?
Some Of them were girls.
How were they going to acquire
them -go up and live on the land?
The sons and daughters lived there
and the old men work the land.
Did they finally, acquire patentf
Yes. they finally acquired patent.
What have they done with 1t?
Wen the four tracts are, fenced In
common and pigs are. being raised
on the land.
II Is not very high grade OF land.
then?
No. it is second-class pasture land.
What about any other experiment?
Before Frear's Administration.
There are one or two other expert
Ementss Right here would explain
that those experiments to which 1
have referred were made before Gov.
.ernor Frear's administration.
What since that timer
Several different times there have
been applications for homesteads and
the opening up OF tracts. In one or
two instances I was instrumental In
keeping the tracts from being opened
up. When to my mind the conditions
did not warrant their being opened
spoke very frankly. One tract Of
land has been opened up recently
which lies between MakaWao and
Olina. have had more or less to Dc
with that.
Fishers What kind Of land is It?
i Aiken. So far 10 has only been used
as pasture land do not know OF
anything so far thai could be profit
ably grown upon that tract, That is
the reason why have so far opposed
it. AsranchS corporation has been
trying to secuferit from the governs.
ment. ] feel that the government
should hold on to those lands. and
some time they can be used for some
thing besides grazing land.
Fisher Have thHreu been any de-
mandss Tor homesteading land under
your jurisdiction where the land was
adapted to the cnltiYation Of coffee.
cane or pineapp1es?
yAikens The. tract which they are.
now homesteading at Haiku, and.
which was opened last year, Is suit
able for pineapples.
Fisher: Tell Is about that; how
large q tract is that?
The Haiku Lands.
Aiken: This was originally private
land owned by plantation interest
there. At the time Of Governor Car.
ter,ss administration recommended
that; the government try to secure
possession Of this tract by exchange.
There was some land that could have
been exchanged for it, which would
have been ofxvalue to- the plantation,
but AS far as the governments pur-
poses WERE concerned, 1t Is practically
.valueless 7 therefore recommended
an exchanges. However, Governor
Carter did not take the matter up:
and when Governor Frear came into
office, and during his first visit to-
Maui, / brought the maftersup to him
and he Immediately took 1t up. saw
the advantage We could gain BY OWL
ing 1t, and put the deal through, ac-
curing the land.
Fisher. What had 1t been used for
prior to its, requirement by the gov
eminent?
Aiken: Just pasture land.
Fisher: What do you think that
land is, in fact, adapted to?
Aiken. In my opinion that is the
best pineapple land in the Territory.
Fisher: What has been the history
of its use since It was acquired by
the Territory?
Aiken: Itwas opened up for home
stealing last year and given out to
q settlement association the Califor-
mia Settlement Association. The chief
holders OF the lands are white set
tiers and most OF them from Ealifor-
mia. l will say withoutathesleasts hes
itation that that is the first real
demonstrating, In my mind, that has
been carried on In the Territory.
Fisher: How large are the tracts
there2
Aiken: approximately 40 acres.
Fisher: And how. many Of them
have been taken upa
Aiken: About "a or 25, think.
Fisher: And are they all white
settlers?
Aiken: / think SO.
Fisher: How large a portion of
them are from the mainland?
. Aiken: About half Of them
Fisher: How did people on the
mainland learn about the lands and
become interested In them?
AIKEN: Well, think they learned
about them from parties here.
Fisher. Then, some people here in
terested themselves in gettings set
tiers from California? -,
! Aiken. Yes, think 50.
Fisher: Were there any other APP
plicants for the land other than those
people?
Aiken: l had never received any
application There was more or less
talk about opening the. lands, and
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