Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-10
FISHER HEARING
CONTINUED from Page u

that direction, would you regard that
as an unwise policy"
Ashford. after some thought, admit
ted he would
Aiken said he thought the land
laws of the Territory are sadly In
need OF revision. II was originally
copied from the land laws of New
Zealand. He would divide the pub
lie lands into three divisions for
handling the sugar lands he
would have leased to sugar planters;
all other cultivated land to home.
steaders, and the high land. of small
value and fit only for grazing, he
would lease as such TO any appii.
cants.
Fisher then made inquiry into the
Territorial laws. affecting the home
steader who forfeits his rights. Ash.
ford and Aiken agreed that the home
steader was paid back the value Of
his improvements. Governor Frear,
asked IL this we're so, said 1t is not.
1t was the old law, but he said Is
true no longer, under the amended
laws.
Aiken said that and per cent Is
the usual and the legal rate Of inter
est That was disputed.
l.. Tenney Peck was called into the
discussion as apparently the only
banker In the chamber. He said that
S per cent is the legal rate.
A general laugh was raised when
Fisher asked Mr. Peck what the us
ury rate Is, and. the latter said he
had never tried to use It and there
fore was not an authority on that
point.
Mr.. Aiken, on being excused, asked
whether the Secretary intends visit
ing Maui before returning home. Mr..
Fisher said he hopes to be able 10
visit Maui and inspect some of the
demonstrating experiments mentioned
by the land agent.
In response to question by Mr..
Fisher, Ashford stated his opinion
that three years bona fide residence
on homesteads should be sufficient
to perfect title in this regard. He
also thought that the choice of the
homestead system to be followed
should rest with the homesteader In
stead OF the Governor or the Terri
t0rial administration.
The discussion then turned on legal
adjudication OF the Governors discre-
ton under the present laws. and Ash
ford, while admitting that the SUI
preme Court has held against the
homesteader in the Kaiwiki case, said
that this case did not involve the
question OF the Governors discretion.
Attorney Olson thereupon referred to
o,,ofbnx 0ooo Tho Graham 0aaa in
Yolving the Governors discretion, nad
been settled IN favor OF. discretionary
powers for the Governor, In the CIR
cult Court Secretary Fisher SAID
this would not necessarily mean H.
nal adjudication Of the question.
Richard lvers Called.
After this, Richard Ivers OF Brewer
q Co. was called upon and asked as
20 his ideas on demonstrating. Mr..
Ivers declared that It wouln be |
good thing for the sugar trade to
have the lands held In smaller hold
lings, provided that the lands would |
be really worked. as this would solve /
the pressing labor problem.
He said he thought the plantations
would be glad to make contracts with
the homesteader.
Referring to possible competition OF
sugar mills for cane raised by home |
steaders. Mr.. Ivers said that no mill
would be willing to increase its ca
pacity without assurance Of a con-
tract Of some years.
He declared that there Is actuai
competition among Hilo mills, and
that he has never heard Of an agree
ment among mills of this Territory
as to the price they would pay for
sugar. He also said there Is much
misconception as to the sugar profits
per acre here.
Secretary Fisher then turned TO the
question OF whether there Is any wa
tering" of stock by plantation corpor-
atoms Mr.. Ivers said that possibly
in two or three instances piantations.I
which we're unusually and unexpect-
eddy profitable, more might have been
mt in stock than the actual invest