Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-10
DETAILED STORY OF
FISHER HEARING TO-DAY

FISHER HEARING TODAY
Fisher: Well. gentlemen, we viii
not wait for the Delegate; Mr.. Ash
ford is here.
Mr.. Aiken, viii you take one oil
these chairs over here?
] understand that you are planning
to 60 away at noon and before you &c
/ thought we had better take advan.
tage Of your being here to ask you
some questions. What is your frf
name? @sN
Aiken: Worth o. Aiken.
Fisher: Where do you live?
Aiken: In Makawao, Maui
Fisher: What is your occupationj
Aiken: Small farming generally.
Fisher: When did you first come
to the Islands?
Aiken: In 1891.
Fisher: And II may ask, how old
were you then?
Aiken: About 1S
Fisher: How soon did yon begin to
work for yourself?
Aiken: What do you mean?
Fisher: Well | mean independent
ily. Of your own accord: tell us how
you got into the Government employ.
Aiken. I went into the Govern
ment employ when / first came here.
At first taught school; IN fact /
practically worked for myself the sec
ond day after landed here
Fisher: When did You first become
what you call small farmer?" 8
Aiken: Well, like many others,
came here and acquired q wife and
family and had. to do something to
support them. 80 ! started to work for
myself.
Fisher: What year was that?
Aiken: In 1900.
Fisher: What did you do. tell US
about ii.
Started Small Farming.
Aiken: Well had to get house
for myself, so looked around and
found place that was vacant and
bought It
Fisher: Where was this?
Aiken: In Makawao.
Fisher: On what island?
Aiken: Maui RS
Fisher, How large tract was it?
Aiken: Some 800 acres
Fisher: Did ithaye q house on It !?
Aiken: Yes. isb
Fisher: Who owned IT?
Aiken: At the time bought 1t, it
belong to an Englishman named Won
Tempsky.
Fisher: Did he haye,,a title to the
land; did you buy 1t from him?
Aiken: Yes, 7 bought it from him.
Fisher: What kind of land was it?
TO.what was 1t best adapted?
Aiken: It was originally planted to.
coffee; it was well adapted to It Parts
of IL were planted in cane. The Gus
tom was at that time to plant cane on
the upper lands where there was more
rainfall; and use the lower lands for
dairying purposes.
Fisher: What was 1t being used for
when you bought L.?
Aiken: Chiefly for dairying.
Fisher. What did you use 1t fort
Have you ever undertaken to raise.
any cane on it?
Aiken: No.
Fisher: Are there other small far
mers in that vicinity?
AIKEN. e6. - Asa5
Fisher: There are quite. "a number?
Aiken: Yes sir.
Fisher. How large tracts DO they
own?
Aiken: Well, anywhere from 40 to
100 acres, -
Fisher: Are they what haye been
called whites here in this discussion.
or Hawaiians. or Portuguese, ror ia
panese?
Aiken: Well, we have practically
all races there Chinese. Japanese,
Portuguese, Hawaiians and whites"
as you call them.
Many Small Holders.
Fisher Among these people are
there those who have small holdings?
Aiken: Yes, sir.
Fisher: Now. do any of them raise
cane on che lands?
Aiken: No.
Fisher: Inzwhat kind of farming
are they usually engaged?
Aiken: Some hundred odd Portn-
guese families are living just back Of
us; their chief crop is grapes. There
is a winery there and they sell their
grapes to the winery. They are also
raising a great innay vegetables
which they take to sell in the planta-
ton camps below.