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

Ashford: Mr.. Aiken, are you famil
lar with this land on the Lahaina
side?
Yes. -
Have you inspected the land itself?
Aiken: Not recently-not for ayeaT
or so.
Ashford: Have you inspected the
lands at Hama?
Aiken: Not in particular: have
not gone over them in detail.
Fisher: Now with regard 70 the
different classes or different methods
of homesteading- howl many methods
of demonstrating do you understand
are available here on the Islands?
Ashford: / think four now. One is
the 993-Year lease.
Describe that briefly.
A. have had really nothing to do
with it-of course / have read the
statute several times. 1t is this--the
occupants after staying number of
years on the land and complying with
certain conditions as to cultivation,
building, tree planting, ETC., and pay
ing very small Communication, may
then take lease for 999 years. / be-
lieye there is no rental whatsoever,
practically a 1000 years title with cer-
tain restrictions as to alienation-that
is a point which I would have to look
up In the statute book to refresh my
memory. Then there is the freehold
agreement Well, that is a scheme
where the land is put up at auction
and then sold to the highest bidder,
the purchaser. however. must have all
the Qualifications of hoinesteadef
and is expected to pay not only the
price Of 1t at auction in that way, but
be subject to all the restrictions and
conditions in regard TO residence
thereon, tree planting, cultivation,
on-alienation, etc, for a number of
years,--three or five, whateyer II may
be, after which he can get his title.
The third form Is the right of pur-
chase lease, where the land is apprais-
ed BY appraisers appointed by the
government and that appraisal may
be modified up or down by the Com
missioner Of Public Lands and If it be
modified then In its modified form it
will stand and usually If there is re-
Vision it has been downward in this
territory. Then the homesteader
takes his land at that appraisab goes
upon it, lives and cultivates the nee
essary number of years up to Fl. He
need not apply for title up to 81 years,
but in the meantime ne has to pay a
rental equal to 8 per cent per annum
and complies with all the conditions.
The fourth plan is what is called the
special agreement. 10-year special
agreement. / think that was a crea-
ton of Governor. Frear's entirely.
have complained a great deal of it In
the past and complain Of it still, al
though l think It has some iustffiea-
ton nbw m view Of the recent enact
ment BY Congress, but 1t never seem
ed to me a desirable form of honne-
stealing, but nevertheless there It is
and It has been the favored form with
this administration and in many In
stances this admff1is mas frl-
sisted that 1t will deal only upon the
ten-year agreement plan. That is a
plan whereby the homesteader goes
there is an appraisal of value and
the homesteader goes into possession
and complies with the conditions.
which are IN general respects the same
pare them side BY side iii order TO
as the others /. would have to COM
settle the special differences and he
cannot obtain title within ten years
Well, those are the four differeht
schemes that have been attempted to
be conducted side by side here. They
have all been followed to some extnt
but the administration lately is draw
ing its influnce largely to the special
agreement plan.
y Fisher: understand you think the
special l0-year agreement plan it
would be better IL we didn't have It?
Objection Raised.
A. Well, don't think it is desir-
able from the standpoint of our
homesteader. 1t harnesses him down
to many conditions and If the object
be to prolohg the tenancy before the
party can get title and do as they like,
then that undoubtedly is the best
adapted to that purpose, except the
999-year lease.
"a. DO you know of any Of these
conditions attached TO the special
agreene1t plan that imposes any con-
ditions oh the homesteader thai really
should be resented by a bona flde
homesteader?
A. Well, take 10 year resident or
q five year resident. Given that,
they provide for a. patent after three
years fesid enee
q DO you really think that man
should be required to live on the
land nj order to get his title, in order
to make sire that he is a bona fide
hofnesteaders -.
Ashford: IT strikes me that the
original plan, three years under the
right of purchase lease, is sufficient
for a minimum.
@ That is, you mean that
That is, he must live there and
cultivate and conform to those con-.
diti6ns Within that time. and it is
hardly to be expected that man.will
do that unless he is acting bona fide.
There Is not enough in q it to tempt