Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-22

AIDED BY new
ACT AMENDMENT
Delegate KaIanianaole Propos-
es Rigid Regulation of All
Water Rights.

An amendment 10 the organic act
ticking from the governor the final ap-
proyal of the granting of licenses Tor
water rights and vesting that power
In the board of land com missioners
has been introduced into the national
house of representative; by Delegate
KaIanianaole. according to latest dis
patches from Washington. II the
amendment IS passed -by congress, ii
will go into effect Immediately and
will make necessary, before the IL
cense to any water rights can be
granted by the government. the apPro.
val OF two-thirds of the board of land
commissioners Heretofore such IL
censes have been granted by the land
commissioner and have required only
the governors approval to become
valid
Complaints Of hon esteaders, lodged
with the legislature or Hawaii, and
charging that important water rights
have been granted to the plantations
on the islands without The owners or
homesteads having been given an OPP
portunity to bid for the licenses, is
said to have influenced the legislators
to recommend to the Hawaiian dele
gate at Washington that an aT2end-
ment to the organic act making neeeS.
sary the sanction OF two-thirds OF the
board of land commissioners before
the granting of any water rights, be
introduced in congress. A concurrent
resolution. introduced into the terri
torial legislature by Representative
George ) p. Cooke on April Il and
passed by the senate, was forwarded
to Delegate Kalanianaole at that time
and was no doubt the cause for MS
recent action in introducing the
amendment.
When seen this morning by rep
resentative of the Star-Bulletin, Gov
ernor Frear stated that he could see
no harm in the proposed amendment
and that. on the other hand, it might
he a good thing In the Organic
Act" he said, "the approval OF the
members of the board of land COM
missioners is required for leases OF
agricultural lands, but no such ap-
prevail is required in regard to the
granting of water rights, which are
quite as important. The proposed
amendment will correct this omission
and might be a good thing"
Land Commissioner Joshua ID.
Tucker also declared himself pleased
with the amendment proposed by
Kalanianaole. Il believe that a law
requiring the approval of the board
OF land commissioners to the grant
ing of water licenses is a good
thing" he said this morning. ''If we
are going to have land board, we
might as we'll give it some power.
/ have always been glad to give the
matter of granting of water licenses
all publicity, and ] have made it
practice to talk such licenses over
with the land board when they were
of any Importance"
The section of the Organic Act |
to be amended is Section 70,
which was amended in 1910 so as to |
impose certain duties upon the board |
Of public lands, and as amended 1t |
will read as follows:
NO lease or license of agricultural /
lands exceeding forty acres in area
or of pastoral or waste lands exceed
nlS tWO HuuVTeu @dCEeS III dIcd UT /
water rights, shall be made without /
the approval of two thirds of the
board of public lands, which is here
by constituted, the members of which T
are to be appointed by the governor
rs provided in Section 80 of this Act,
and until the legislature shall other
wise provide said board shall consist
Of six members and it's members be
appointed for terms of four years:
Provided, however, That the commits
;ioner may, with the approval of said
board, sell for residence purposes
OTIS and tracts, not exceeding three
leres in area, and that sales Of gov
eminent lands may be made upon the
approval of said board whenever
Necessary to locate thereon railroad
lights of way, railroad tracks, side s