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

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

An amendment TO the organic act
taking from the governor the final APP
prevail of the granting of licenses for
water rights and vesting that power
in the board of land commissioners
has been introduced into the national
house of representatives by Delegate
Kalauianaole. according to latest dis
patches from Washington. II the
amendment is passed by congress. it
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 homesteaders, lodged
with the legislature or Hawaii, and
charging that important water rights
have been granted to the plantations
on the islands without the owners OF
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 amend
u,ent to the organic act making neces
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 his
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, 1t might
be 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
will correct this omission
and might be a good thing.
Land Commissioner Joshua u.
Tucker also declared himself pleased
with the amendment proposed by
Kalanianaole. 81 believe that 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 a land board, we
might as well give them some power
| have always been glad to give the
matter of granting of water licenses
all publicity, and | have made it a /
practice to talk. such licenses over
with the land board when they were
Of any importance"
The section of the Organic Act |
proposed to be amended is Section 73,
which was amended in 1910 so as to
impose certain duties upon the board
IF public lands, and as amended it
will read as follows:
mo lease or license of agricultural
ands exceeding forty acres in area
,r of pastoral or waste lands exceed
ng two hundred acres in area or
water rights, shall be made without
he approval of two thirds of the
'oard of public lands, which is here
" constituted, the members of which
re to be appointed by the governor
S provided in Section so of this Act,
nd until the legislature shall other
Use provide said board shall consist
f six members and its members be
ppointed for terms of four years
however, That the commits
Toner may, with the approval of said
oard, sell for residence purposes
DTS an dtracts, not exceeding three !
cres narea, and that sales of gov :
rnment lands may be made upon the
pproval of said board whenever
ecessary olocate thereon railroad
lights of way, railroad tracks, side s
nj donot grounds nina 1inoc ir. c