The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-07-21
I.g "A fftlf - q Il Y 49, III II SO
|EEkAHA PLANTATION
SEEKS LARGE TRACT
|OF LAND IN KAUAI.
Offers Territory 100000 For
Forty Acres Where Big
Sugar Mill Is Located
LEASED ORIGINALLY ST. il N
BY KNUDSEN ESTATE
Patent Has Four More Years TO
Run But Corporation De-
sires To Enlarge Plant

The Kekaha Sugar Plantation Com.
pany Of Kauai has made an offer TO
the Territory to buy outright, for the
'um Of 100000 forty acre tract be-
'0nging TO the government and ON
which the company's sugar mill is
located. The situation Is a peculiar
one, however, and the board Of land
commissioners, to which the PROPOSE
ion was presented Yesterday has de-
lined 10 consider IL until Land Com
missioner Rivenburgh can get a legal
opinion from the Encouragement.
The tract owned by the Territory
md sought by tine plantation, was
teAsed originally by the Knudsen es-
tate, which in turn leased il TO Keka-
ha plantation. The latter has built
its mill on the site. The mill, the
plantation directors assert, Is Insult
lent for the amount Of cane grinding
necessary and they desire TO enlarge
il, replace some Of the old machinery
with new. and generally bring the
plant up TO date.
Lease Has Four Years To Run
But the lease under which the plan.
tation holds the land has only four
years Of life remaining, expiring In
DO, The lensP then win revert 70
he Knudscn estate. which viii hold it
only a month before the final lease
hold expires and the property comes
hack into the TerritOry's possession.
The plantation wants to ascertain as
| 'nrly us possible whether IL can gain
title to the land ~ the year 1920.
that II NAV know whether IL will be
safe in, making improvements in the
mill.
Two phases of the situation pre-.
| vented action or even consideration of
the deal by the land board yesterday.
Rivenburgh called attention to the
fact that the Governors policy with
| regard TO the homestead question in
Kauai, particularly concerning the
operation Of a mill comparatively or
1nder government supervision for the
homcsteaders has not been announced.
Vt might be possible that the govern
mert would decide the homestesders
should have control of the sugar mill, be
aid. II would not be wise to give
refnite decision on Kekaha planta.
ion = proposition until the govern
nent policy Is outlined, he advised
Land Board Cannot Decide
| The other point raised is that the
law specifically does not permit the
and board TO decide upon \ sat dis
| POSITION II shall make Of public lands,
| Inless the lease upon the land in quee.
ion he's not more than two wears to
'un. The board members arCued
hriefy on the point, some inernipg 10
he opinion that the law had reference
'nly to proposals TO release, not TO
teals for outright purchase Thir 10
he question the attorney general will
70 asked 70 answer, by an intcrpreta.
| ion Of the doubtful statue.
[ Though the board was in session for
I day aud a half, II is understood no
lhairs OF large consequence were pst.
| I'd upon in the meetings which con
Anded yesterday afternoon. Most OF
| he matters had 70 do with land exl
4 balges of minor size, between the
| rerritOry and private landowners, All
approval of requests to sell OF Leash
mall tracts in different parts of the
| 'erritory. a. Et' $500 Y
| One Of these exchanges of passing
interest is that suggested by the Homo
kaa Sugar Company, which offers to
i've the Territory a deed to 1854
cres in Hhmnkua district of the Is
and Of Hawaii for a tract Of. 1901
,crcs in the same district, owned by the
government, In Recommending the ex-
hangs Commissioner Riyenburgh com
nentsd that part Of the sixteen acres
The territory will acquire, already has
been decided by il TO homesteaders,
having been given them Ia 1913.
cideEAter Deal . Deferred
| The board deferred action ON an ap.
| ,lieatjnp by J. +. c. Hagens and a
,arty re 9resented by Honolulu legal
irm, Ter q tract OF tidewatsr' land at
Pearl HAIbor, This viii be held bp
| 'ptil the basbor board decides upon
be- policy X desires 10 establish affect.
nc tidewater lands, W
| The commissioners approved the sale
| u public auction of fifteen year
ease on thirty acres which the Laupa.
hoehoe Sugar Company desires to OBJ
ain. Approval likewise was given
he sale by auction of two small tracts
| \ Waimea, Hawaii, which A. w. Carter
lesires TO buy, Carter states In his
pplication that on one Of these be in,
ends building, among other things, an
| fmory for the national guard ,coinpany
| lrgapiEed at WAimea. On the other he
ohtemplates erection OF stables for the
Parker ranah ttH'N'f "a . '.'- r'i'k- ~ " t'.