Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXI, Number 45, 10 March 1937 — Want Additions To Homesteads [ARTICLE]

Want Additions To Homesteads

A rocommendation to include in Hawaiian Homes land 16.46 acres of beach front at Keaukaha is among proposals in the reports of the legislature's holdover commitee on the homes project, which has been in both houses. The report, representing months of investigation. recommneded complete reorganization of Hawaiian Homes commission finances and the establishment of a $1,000,000 revolving fund with $750,000, now available, as the nuclus.

Committee members include Senator Joseph L. Sylva, Joseph H. Farrignton and William B. Heen and Representatives Roy A. Vitousek, Arthur Akina and Clement Gomes

The report recommonded inclusion of the Keaukaha acrage in homes land as one of several proposed amendments to the Hawaiian Homes act, Difficulties Seen

At the outset the report said: "The commitee finds that Hawaiian homesteading scheme has been in certain respects valuable and successful.

"On the other hand, it sees a number of serious difficulties, and in some phases or the project a virtual condition of stalemate" Homes commission finances are low, the report said, because the present so-called revolving fund has been drawn upon for capital outlays and maintenance as well as fir reimbursable loans

"A complete reorganization of the finances is necessary, even to maintain the present activities for much longer, let alone to make

further development possible." These amendaments to the Hawaiian Homes act were proposed. To include in Hawaiian Homes land 28.6 acres of unused federal land and 4 6 acres of unussd territorial land at Kewalo, Oahu To include in Hawaiian Homes 16.46 acres of beach front at Keaukaha, Hawaii.

To set the size of agricultural allotments at from one to 49 acres and to provide for residence lots of no more than one acre

To reduce the rate of interest on loans to 3 percent.

To permit the homes commission at its discretion to meet the taxes of homesteaders when they fail due instead of 60 days after the delinquency penalty is imposed The proposal $4,000,000 revolving fund, to which would go the annual rental from Hawaiian Homes land, $67,757, would be used to provide advances through which homesteaders can be rehabilited-. These funds would return into the fund within a minimum of 30 years, to report said. The committee recommended that the amount not to be drawn on except for recoverable advances to homesteaders, and that loans be made from time to time to resi dance lot holders as well as and to worthy agri cultural holders on their growing crops. It recommends the opening of immediate conversations with

pineapple company officials regading future pineapple contacts and the possible extension of pineapple areas. Governor Poindexter and others it said pointed out that the existing form of contracts, "while being highly favorable to the homestead-

ers, seems economically unsound and may even bring an end shortly to pineapple growing in the (Molokai) area and threaten the very existence of hte Hoolehua settlement." Other recommendations included; Formation of homestead council or advisor, board in each home stead community and the working out of practical ways and means encouraging greater financial responsibility among homesteaders Submission by homes commissiion to the legislature of a plan for growing pineapple on the commission's unused Molokai lands, such lands to be leased through the land commissioner and the income a..tue to homes comission funds Close study by the comission of the economic and other ....ls of children of homesteaders. That special phases of rehabilitation, such as health and educa-

....work, he assured by the government department with them That the board of health make adequate revision for medical work, ethics ets...in homestead