The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-05-24
HOMESTEAD D|LLiiFL
BUMPS into SNAG
Measure Is Being Materially
/. Amended In Session and VIII
Delay Adjournment

Numerous and important amendments
to Senator Shingles homestead meas
ure, which was introduced in the sen.
ate May l7S are holding up this i'm,
portant measure and will lenethen the
period of this special session. " a
The bill has been in the hands OF
Governor. Designate Mccarthy. Attor.
ney General Arthur Smith, and An.
tonic Perry, representing the chamber
of commerce, and various men promi.
nently connected with the sugar indus.
try here for two days and up to the
close OF the session yesterday no de.
cision had been reached. -. H..
The bin provided for the cultivation
Of government lands after their lea SEES
expire. The intent or the bill il To
allow theplantefs TO keep on ;eultivat.
ing cane lands after the leases expire
until such time as they are disposed OF
to homesteaders. While the land "a
thus under cultivation, the cost of cul.
tivation and manufacture is to be de.
Quoted from the sale of the sugar and
the balance Of the proceeds is to be
divided $3.50. the government taking
one'half and the planter the other half.
snag Is Struck &C. y 1E.
II is understood that the principal
feature of this bill which seems to be
the snag which has held up its pro.
gress is the question Of estimating the
cost Of production. Attorney Perry
was closeted with Governor Mccarthy
and Attorney General Smith practical.
ly all Of yesterday afternoon trying to
work out equitable measures to deter.
mine cost. One, report which reached
the senate, chamber yesterday afternoon
was that the plantation interests in.
tended charging one sixth Of the CAPT.
talization Of each plantation against
the cost of production. This measure,
1t is said, was strongly opposed by
Governor Mccarthy.
Another feature of the bin which is
meeting with strong opposition is Sec.
ton which provides for the method
in which the net profits from the crop
are determined. According TO the bill
as it stands, the planter, Immediately
upon the disposal of his crops, must
send a written notice of the fact to
the commissioner of public lands and a
circuit court judge of the circuit where
the land is situated. A statement of
cost must be furnished at the same
time showing the net profit received
from the crop and an account showing
in detail how the sum total of this
profit was arrived at. Following the
receipt of this account, the circuit
Judge at chambers, after due notice
to the commissioner of public lands
shall adjudicate and determine the &C
tual net profit derived from the crop
Fly In the Ointment
This last clause is the particular
fly in the ointment which is worrying
those who are planning to reconstruct
the bill. 1t is claimed that q Judge
of the circuit court is not competent Ia
determine plantation costs as ne lacks
Eexperience and training along these
lines and it Is believed that more
equitable results could be attained by
appointing a commission of three dis.
interested businessmen on each island
who would have full power to settle
all questions Of this caliber
II is expected that this bill in a much
amended form will be introduced in
the senate TODAY.