Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-21

d
akea lease alone, not to mention many
thousands more in Piihonui. / would
net object to any citizen having what
ever small traction Of this land he
could use, bgtii certainly don't want
anyone to get my particular lot after
| have spent good money IN improving
it. - :ss'1 = ''t'--'s.5'.'iG s$E
The idea OF acquiring the territory's
interest In The part % this land that
was opening for a Quarry was not a
recent notion, for discussed the mat
ter with Mr.. Judd when he was land
commissioner. inN1919, and he assured
NE he thought It a proper subject for
exchange Tor other land wanted by
the territory. .
Getting Land for Homestead Lots.
When the agitation for opening
some Waiakea land for native house
lots began, way back In ex-governor
Frear's administration, became in
terested. as did many pub1ic-spirited
citizens, in pushing the matter along,
and while the task Of getting anything
whatever done Tor HiIo BY that ad.
ministratiol seemed greater than
moving mountain, | think it was
largely due to the continuing efforts
of Messrs. W. H. Kinney, w. H. Heen
and myself and a few others that any
initiative steps were ever taken. Then
the government first secured a prom
Use of release from Waiakea Mill Com
pany of 200 acres or more This was
a satisfactory amount Surveyors were
sent from the territorial survey de-
partment to lay it off on the ground,
and despite the fact that we had re.
ported to the governor and land com
missioner that the citizens wanted
the lands nearest to the river and
Waiakea cane fields, the land select
ed and surveyed was that including
the pest house and abutting on the
Hilo Railroad Company's extensive
manawahi tract next to it's yards!
Then q real kick went up from Hid
and the government said It would take
the matter UP again with Waiakea
MIL Company and see if it could Sc
cure the land wanted. The next thing
learned in Hilo was that the railroad
company, under Mr.. Thurstonss able
management, had received deed
from the government for large tract
of land at Waiakea, incidentally TAXI
ing in my home lot lease at the beach,
rearranging its former holdings and
including slice of the identical land
asked for for native home lots near
the river. ,~a
How Land Was Laid Out. -, > = :
After much time ran on Tom Cook
was commissioned by the land office
to survey tract of certain acreage TO
include the remaining part OF the land
really wanted, and to lay out block
and street system following the ak
pressed wishes of public meeting.
held for that purpose. Everyone con-
cerned at Hilo was glad to have a
competent local man. entrusted with
this work, which was promptly per-
formed and reported. So far as &
know and believe, no change was
ever made or suggested In this gen.
eral system, although it was under
review BY the Board OF Trade and diff
ferent committees on several occa-
sions / never heard that either Mr.
Lyman or Mr.. Thurston had any fault
to find with it. ..-... ~.
In order to include the acreage
called for, by his instructions from
the land office, Mr.. Cook had to-
either include part of my lot or nun
sharp angles arodnd Il, as it protrudedi
obliqueIy into the tract. The first I
heard Of this was when he told me of
the situation and asked lf the govern
ment had made any arrangements
with me for releasing this part He
was told that it had not, and, so far,
as know, prepared his plan accord.
ingly. At later date took the mat
ter up with Land Commissioner
Tucker, who said he was acquainted
with the situation and would be glad
to have this land released to the gov
ernment. was willing, for fair con-
sideration, and told him SO, and he
asked me to make up what ] consid-
cred a. fair business proposal and III
both he and the governor consideredI
it fair and reasonable he would be
pleased to lay it before the land board
for its considerations and final action
Metzger Makes Proposition.
| made the proposition to pay the
rent to the end of my lease and sur
render and release not only the land
mauka of the railroad, but all that
part makai of it, il in exchange the
government would give me it's title
to part covering my quarry pits, the
amount to be proportionate with the
rent money would have to pay on
the part surrendered, on valuation
of about $25 per acre q don't remem-i
Der the exact figures);s which yalua-
ton was determined by capitalizlng,I
on an per cent basis, the annual
rent paid by me on the entire acreage
In my communication brought to the
attention of the land commissioner
the fact that if the pahoehoe lands
adjacent to the railroad tracks on the
mauka side were in any way suitable
for house lots, that land included in
my lease on the makai side was even
more so, as it was higher and airier,
and being partly of IA formation was
capable of growing trees and lent it
self to easier disposal of sewage
wastes and was generally more sanl-
tary and healthfuL . @..,
There is no question in my mind,
and never have expressed myself to