Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-01
FOR
POLICY Of
PUBLICITY:
Secretary Says Gets impress
sion Here Administration
Did Not Confide

Secretary Fisher put it squarely up
to Governor Frear this morning whe-
ther or not the administration has
taken the people of Hawaii sufficient
~ into its confidence.
He did not press the governor for a
yes or no answer, but at three distinct
times during the mornings hearing
the secretary commented emphatieal-
Is and significantly upon the appar-
ent fact that homesteading has been
carried on in Hawaii without enough
advance publicity of the governments
intention.
The comments from Mr.. Fisher were
made from time to time during the
course of the statement that Governor
Frear gave, continuance of the eX-
ecutive's statement of yesterday. To-
day the statement turned more di'
rectly upon the specific complaints
by the delegate of failure or partial
failure of the administration to en-
courage homesteading in certain
named groups of lands. II was in
connection with the advertising and
opening of these homesteads that the
secretary asked the governor If he
considered enough publicity has been
given to the plans of the land COM
missioner or otter authorities. q
Il have found a good deal of criti-
cism of the governments policy in
this regard. said Mr.. Fisher. There
seems TO be some disaffectiop, largely
because the people couldn't get the in
formation they wanted on public lands.
Do you think they could get it?''
The governor replied that he
thought as rule the officials have
been careful to reply to all applicants,
though perhaps three or four might
have been overlooked, and the secre-
tary said his impression is that he
has heard of considerably more than
three or four during his present in
yestigation. SIN left with the i'm
preston on my mind that there were
more than three or four" he stated.
Later, on the same subject, he asked
Frear: Isn't it true that you issue
an order, known of course to the Of
ficers, but not TO the public except
as they happen to learn it," He ask
ed Frear what public notice was CIV
en-, and Frear said that besides the
news given in the public press, adj
yertisements were inserted in the pa
pers, Mr.. Fisher objected that these
advertisements were after the survey
of the aots and when the government
was almost ready to open them to en-
try. That's pretty far down in the
game, isn't it?' he asked pointedly.
Isn't there some public center where
the notices can be put up earlier?"
Fisher Tells Impression.
Becoming still more emphatic, he
said: Il get the impression that
there's little feeling on the part of
the public that they aren't taken into
the confidence of the administration,
that they think they are always lit
tie behind in the game, and that there
is somebody else who gets advance
information or somebody who gets
there first. They feel that they
haven't fair show"
Governor Frear admitted that there
is a feeling of that kind, but defend
ed his subordinates from any serious
negligence in dealing with home
steaders.
During the morning the secretary
went into the issuance of water Ii
cense to a considerable degree, eyi-
IDENTIFY trying to find out whether OF
not il is public policy to have the
executive handle the licenses while
the land board handles land matters
in its jurisdiction.
Small Audience Today.
Only small audience, of not more
than a score was present when the
hearing began this morning.
Governor Frear was Immediately
recalled to the witness chair" anC
Attorney Olson. before the Governor
resumed his talk. handed the Secre
tary a copy of the contract which
gave the Hilo Railroad Company it.
lands in that city for terminal pur
poses.
After rea- Ing the reservation shOwI
therein the Secretary remarked
THAT is a very good reservation
much better than the previous on,
We have seen"
Attorney Olson then announced h,
Continued on page 81