Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-12-01

manifested and work done toward
bringing about, if possible, so-called
commission form of government, and
in general more thought is being Civ
en- to the proper development of the
local governments.
Progressive Laws Passed.
AT the recent session many laws
were passed for further adjusting the
relations between the territory and
the local governments in financial and
other matters, and for increasing the
powers of those governments. For
important laws of a, political nature
relating to these governments see
Elections" and Legislature" The
counties were given authority to issue
bonds for public improvements. Such
improvements of a local nature as
have hitherto been made out of loan
funds have been provided for by the
issuance of territorial bonds. Thus in
respect Of loan moneys, as we'll as
current revenues. the local govern
ments have for the most part put off
their swaddling clothes. Special laws
were passed for the city and county
of Honolulu providing for the opening
of lew streets and the Improvement
of existing streets through the issu-
ance of bonds secured by the prop
erty benefited, the bonds to be paid
by local assessments; also for the
transfer from the territory to that
city and county of the extensive city
water and sewer works, and for the
establishment of a cash basis fund"
SAT-1st AID GOV REPORT s
The report begins with a summary
of general conditions and is followed
by brief statement as to national
legislation needed for island admins
tration. Then the report takes up
elections, legislature. city and county
goNernmentS. finances, commerce,
transportation, harbors, lighthouses,
cts, population. immigration and Ia
Dor, territorial survey work of yari.
Gus kinds and then the activities OF
federal and territorial departments.
operating in Hawaii. 49,. ~ 4
Needed Legislation. -
Under this head the governor
says Es,sva+ !. ~. jeess.z 49,. -. s s-y~s
"Eegislafion by Congress, If any
should be, enacted imposing a liter.
acy test upon immigrants, should ex.
cept from the test Caucasian innmi-
grants to Hawaii. The reasons adj
vanced for such test in the case OF
European immigration to the main
land do not apply to such .immigra-
ton to Hawaii. The former is large
ly Of self-selected single men, while
the latter is almost exclusively of
government selected agriculturist
families, whose children, as expert
ence has shown. quickly become edu,
Gated, worthk American citizens. Local
racial conditions also in Hawaii diff
fer from those on the mainland, and
If only literates could be introduced,
the Americanizing of the territory
would not be as rapid as would
otherwise be the case. Legislation
should be enacted by Congress also
tc prevent Caucasian immigrants in
troduced into Hawaii by the territory,
from proceeding from the territory f.
the mainland unless they conform to
the immigration laws in respect of
literacy and also unless they REIN.
burse the territory for the expense of
bringing them to Hawaii At pres
emit a large percentage of the immt.
grants thus brought from Europe ap-
parently take advantage of the as
sistaTlce offered by the territory mere
ly to go from Europe to the Pacific
coast, using Hawaii as a stepping
stone, thus taking an unfair advan.
tage of the territorial government and
evading the spirit of the federal i'm
migration laws.
Should Amend Land Laws.
"The land laws should be amended
in several respects. Settlement asso-
should be permitted to take
komesteads under special homestead
as we'll as under right-of.
purchase leases and cash freehold
agreements. The special homestead
agreement is the best form of agree
ed and other highly valuable lands,
and it is those kinds of lands that are
most sought by settlement associa-
tons. The list of enumerated objects
for which sales of public land may be
made for other than homestead pur-
poses is too limited anC should be eX.
tended so as to include other objects,
such as hospitals, telegraph lines,
etc, of a quasi-public nature. The
provision that upon the application of
25 persons leased lands shall be
for homesteading as soon
as the then growing crops have been
harvested should be modified so as
at least to make it discretionary to
postpone the withdrawal until the
first rattoon crop Of a then-growing
plant crop shall have been harvested.
because in some instances the profit
is chiefly from the rattoon crop, and
unless this can be secured to the les.
see the land can not be leased at an
adequate rental until it is desired for
homestead purposes. Owing to num-
crous minor defects, as we'll as uncer.
tainties cccasioned by many amend
ments of a general nature, a complete
revision of the land laws would be
highly desirable if drafted by persons
thoroughly familiar with local condi-
tons and with the practical working
OF these laws in the past.