Newspaper Page Text
TIIF, GARDEN ISLAND, TUESDAY, MAR. 4, 1919
. . , . j -
From the Other Islands
Order It By Mail!
Homesteaders Must
Have High Prices
( From the Daily Post-Herald )
Tlie possibilitieN of being able
to make a living from a Waikea
homestead ami coming out a little
better tban square at the end of
each two years or ho when the crop
is harvested, is agitating many
of the prospective homesteaders
who have a chance of selecting a
cane lot.
That, in the first place, the price
of 1 he lots is far too high, is the
opinion of men who know the
sugar growing business from A to
Z. They point out that while Ihe
land, if in one block and owned
by one company or individual
might be worth something like
what is now asked for it, the fact
that each little tract of 40 acres
or less will be owned by individ
uals, reduces tlie value of the laud
tremenduously, on account of the
lack of cooperation and the spread
ing of tlie forces necessary to
work Ihe whole tract over such a
disjointed area.
Margin Too Close
That the most important matter
in cmnection with the whole of
the Waikea homesteadiug 'busi
ness is the kind of contract that
can be secured for the purchase
of the cane by the nulling com
pany is certain. That the price
based on the usual contract of $1
per ton of cane for every 1 cent
per pound of sugar (New York
price) is not a square deal to the
homesteader, is asserted. It is
pointed out that cane at ( per
ton under certain circumstances
will not put much money in the
Jiomesteaders' pockets. Then,
should sugar drop from C to 5
cents or less, the cane farmer gets
in wrong altogether.
A man who has had years of ex
perience in cane raising and who
has gone to great trouble to se
cure data which lie declares to be
correct, was seen this morning re
garding the Waiakea homestead
matter. lie declared that the most
vital question concerning home
steading is the regulation of the
price between the milling com
pany and the homesteader as to
the payment he is to get for his
cane.
"Ithiuk that the price of the
cane is the only question," stated
the Hilo citizen, "for if it were ar
ranged on a proper basis all other
questions would solve themselves.
"As things are at present, it
would be better for the home
steaders if there were not a "mill"
in the dist rict, for then they could
form an association and by pledg
ing their crops and with the sanc
tion of the government, build
their iwn mill and be independ
eU .' i.ny corporation a- J t-.w
the full benefit from their land.
Such a scheme I believe to be en
tirely feasible and could be easi
lv worked out in detail.
one-half tons of cane or live (5)
tons of sugar; allowing &y2 tons
of cane to make one ton of sugar,
which 1 believe to be a fair aver
age. These figures apply to pre
war times prior to 1914. When
four (4) cents was considered a
fair price for raw sugar; and the
New York price for raw sugar,
that is, one cent per pound for
sugar, one dollar per ton for caue
delivered at the mill.
"These figures .will show how
homesteadiug will stand if "sugar
should drop to that price again,
or anything near it.
"These charges were made by
the plantation against the home
steader for men, mules, fertilizer;
and in addition to this he has to
pay two years taxes on the land,
buildings and growing crops. Cul
tivating and harvesting one acre
of ratoon cane 42V tons or 5 tons
of sugar:
43 men at 1.17 per day. . .? 52.G5
7 mules at 1 per day . . . 7.00
1 ton fertilizer 75.00
Harvesting 42 tons cane
at .70 per tons 29.75
Interest on above for 1 yr
at 8 per cent per annum 13.15
Total 177.55
roceeds from 42j tons
..f cane 170.00
Los to homesteader per
acre 7.55
Assuming that the homesteader
does all his own cultivation on
ten acres of cane, for that is as
much as one man can take care of,
over that he would have it done by
hired help, he would receive 451.
OOfor his two years work and
would be at an actual loss of 7.55
per acre for what he. had done by
outside help.
"It is true that he would have a
few .days between hoeing and
stripping that he could work at
something else; but such time
would be fully occupied around
house and garden.
Mill Company's End
"Now let me see how the mill
company fares by these terms.
"At one time 1 wrote to Hono
lulu to the best authority known
to give me the maximum figure for
milliug and marketing one ton of
sugar in the Hilo district; they
wrote me that the cost of milling
and marketing was 14.28 per ton
but some of tlie plantations that
owned stocks in and shipped to
the Cockett Uetinery a certain a
mount of sugar, the cost was very
much less.
Purchasing 42 tons cane
at 4.00 per ton 170.00
Milliug and marketing 5
tons of sugar 71.40
"So anybody will see that the
margin of profit left to the home
steader will not justify him in
raising cane under those con
ditions." Wolters Will Null and Void
Attorney General Harry Irwin,
filing answer for the territory to
the injunction suit brought by the
trustees of the II. Wilhelm Wol
ters estate to prevent the forclos
ure of a lien on property in Ke
walo. declared yesterday that the
portion of the will bequeathing
certain properties to the city of
Bremen, (iermany, was null and
void, says the Star-Bulletin of the
27th.
Mr. Irwin holds the will at
tempts to convey property to ene
mies of the United States, and
pointsout specifically that Bre
men is a municipality and subdi
vision of a country with which
the United States was at war. It
argued that the will is subversive
to Ihe general good of the commu
nity. It the court upholds the
answer of the attorney general
the property will revert to the
heirs of the estate, Mr. Irwin con
tends. The Wolters will provides for
the creation of a trust to continue
for 10 years, under which several
of his relatives receive stated a
mounts of money, But the further
provision is made that, upon the
expiration of the trust term, the
residue of the estate shall be turn
ed over to the Free and llansa
Town of Bremen, Germany. De
ceased also left his valuable col
lection of postage stamps to a
Bremen museum and a sum of
money for its maintenance and
extension.
! ! j
Col. Morehead Takes Vacation
sum c if ami:
Total -41.20
Proceeds from 5 tons sugar
at 80.00 . ... 400.00
Net profit from one acre
of cane f 15S.(0
"And the plantations tell us the
homesteader will not take care of
his cane and talks about bona tide
'Under present conditions there; homesteadiug; is it any wonder
is no chance for organization a
mong homesteaders, for the reas
on that a number of them are al
ways tangled up in contracts. On
one section of land contracts are
expiring, another section is in the
middle of theirs; so the first is
forced to sign up again, for the
plantations insist upon contracts
before any supplies will be fur
nished. "So when a homesteader mill is
mentioned, a howl goes up from
every direction, that one mill is
sufficient to grind all the cane,
waste of capital, etc., which would
be true; but when the mill com
pany fixes the price that the home
steader shall accept for his cane,
you will readily see what a handi
cap he is working under.
Figures On Cost
"I will give you a few figures
as to the cost of cultivating, har
vesting one acre of ratoon cane.
producing forty-two U-Vi) and
that he would not take care of his
cane under this showing?
"With the present price of su
gar (which is only an accident of
the war) the homesteader is mak
ing a little money, and in every
instance that 1 have noticed, his
cane is better taken care of than
the plantation cane.
"Two head overseers have told
me that homesteaders' cane is the
cheapest cane they get, and cheap
er than they can raise it them
selves. "When you consider tlie respon
sibility and risk the homesteader
lias to carry for two years, the
crop may be a failure, it may be a
dry season or cane fire may oc
cur, while the plantation does not
take a single chance; simply buys
the cane at his mill and sells the
sugar; and if the homesteader
owes anything in consequence of
such crop failure, it is charged up
against his next crop.
Harry II. Morehead, president
of the Hawaii Drug Company,
Ltd., accompanied by Mrs. More
head, is booked to leave Hilo next
Monday for Honolulu, where he
will connect with a steamer for
the mainland.
Mr. Morehead was recently re
tired from active service sit Scho
field Barracks, with the rank of
Colonel, when demobilization of
the troops took place. His retire
ment was made the occasion for
the presentation of a massive
solid silver flower vase, suitably
inscribed, from tlie ollicers of the
Second Beginient, Hawaiian Infantry
Having arranged his business
interests in Hilo Mi Morehead
will take a well earned vacation
touring the United States. Ik
has sold his Puuco home and the
deal was put through by the Se
curity Trust Company. Post
Herald. ::
4,4.4,4.4.4..4.4.4.4.4.4. 4,
STEAMER ARRIVALS
4. 4.4.4,4,4,4. 4.4.4,4.4.4.4. 4.
Arriving today: G. Wilcox, E.
D. Mi Govern, G. C. Hyden, A.
Gicnzcr Mr. Horswill, Mrs. Hors
will, H. W. Everett, Mrs. Everett,
V. G. Forney, G. Ewaliko, C. A.
Baggott, II. W. Laws, It. C. Mac
tie, L. Andrews, B. Prankratz,
.Joe Silva, W. K. Kellcy, L. II.
Bean, C. A. Burns, C. L. Hall, A.
Hogg, Mrs. A. Hogg and infant.
Master Hogg, E. .1. Bolts, Mrs.
Poster, li. Puuiki, Miss B. Lovell,
J. C. Sweeney, O. !. Little, Miss
A. Cottrell.
Passengers arriving last Friday
were: C. II. Wilcox, Miss E. Wil
cox, G. Hindley, P. Deverill, J. N.
S. Williams, Mrs. A. M. Booge,
Miss .1. I. Booge, Miss A. Silva,
Mrs. J. Doolittle, Miss C. Pearson,
Mrs. F. B. Tracey, C. Follansole
wife and child, W. Frear, II. P.
Faye, F. M. Hatch, W. F. San
born, C. A. Short, G. F. Winter.
. P. Archer, A. Horner. Miss
Paul, G. W. McNcar, Jr. G. Ku
bane, A. Silva, Miss Kuuishima.
The effort being made to change
the law pertaining to the valua
tion of homestead lands and to
fix an upset price of -" cre
may possibly be favored by the
Territorial Legislature, but it
would seem to have but a slim
chance of being agreed to by Con
gress. The stand will probably be tak
en that while the land in an un
improved condition may not be
worth even as much as 25 an
acre, it is worth far more from
the point of view of what it can
produce in the way of sugar crops.
Hilo Post-Herald.
:0:
Among the Rice Planters
This is the planting season for
rice, and Ihe rice plantations
scattered here and there and
everywhere through the valleys,
far and near, are busy getting in
their crop.
The seed is sown broadcast in
nursery patches and conies up as
thick as the hair on a dog's back.
When five or six inches high it is
carefully transplanted into the
broader areas where it is planted
in rows a few inches apart. These
rows are carefully laid out so
that they may be straight and
symmetrical, a line being stretch
ed about every five feet, the inter
vening rows being set by the eye.
It looks like a very simple and
easy operation operation to set
the little tufts of tender green in
the soft mud. But it seems that
this is not the case, and that like
many another apparently simple
operation, it requires a good deal
of experience and skill. Farther
more it is a very wearying job, es
pecially after the first few hours
and very hard on the back.
There is a deftness and skill
about a woman's hand that fits
her especially for the job, and dur
ing tlie planting season it is no
uncommon thing to find the hus
band at home minding the child
ren, while the wife is in the plant
ing field. Presumably the hus
band's explanation is the real one,
that the wife is more skilful, and
not that he is the more indolcntt
On the small farms the actual
I planting is done mostly by "plant
ing bees," for all the world like
the old time New England husk
ing bees, or barn raising bees.
The neighbors gather in on the
appointed day, and many hands
make quick work, if not light
work, and finish up the little
farm perhaps in a single day. At
meal time they are guests of the
farmer, and his women folks be
stir themselves to prepare a botin
teous and toothsome repast that
shall do credit to their culinary
skill. And when the busy plant
ers gather round tlie generous
board there is a liberal exchange
of good fellowship and homely
wit, and much banter to and fro,
ind a great deal of rippling laugh
ter that seems to be very genuine
and verv happv. And while the
grown folks are enjoying lieni
selves royally after the grown up
wise, tlie children to the number
of twice as many perhaps, are
having as good a time round the
cd"cs, 111 tiieir own ciimnsn way,
and are also doing justice to vari
(ins viands, such as they don't get
every day.
Altogether the rice plantin
season is a very enjoyable one for
all concerned in spite of the hard
work. The fine weather we are
having this winter in such' large
measure, is very welcome to the
rice men, wh have an assured
water supply and don't need rain
for their crops.
Our M.vii. Oiii:i! Dkpaii i mi:xt is excep
tionally well equipped to handle nil your Drug
and Toilet wants thoroughly and nt once.
We will pay postage on all orders of 50," anil
over, except the following:
Mineral Waters, Ha by Foods, Glassware
and articles of unusual weight and small
value.
Non-Mailable: Alcohol, Strychnine,
Rat poisons, Iodine, Ant poison, Mer
cury Antiseptic Tablets, Lyso), Car
bolic Acid, Gasoline, Turpentine, Ben
zine and all other poisonous or in
flamable articles.
If your order is very heavy or contains much
liquid, we suggest that you have it sent by
freight.
Benson, Smith & Co., Ltd.
"Service Every Second"
The Rexal Store
Box 426 Honolulu
Alert
Fire Extinguisher
Strongest of its type on the market.
Built of very heavy Lake Superior cold-rolled copper.
Will stand more wear and tear than any other Extin
guisher. .
The hose is so securely attached to the extinguisher by
a swivel that it cannot be detached without a wrench
Examined, Labelled and approved under the direction
of the national board of Fire Uinlei writers
Lewers & Cooke, Ltd.
Lumber and Building Materials
lf0-177 So. King Street
l Sugar Factors and Commission Merchants
IMPORTERS OF GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Theo. H, Davies & Co., Ltd. t
HONOLULU and HILO
GENERAL HARDWARE
Builders' Hardware Crockery (ilassware
Sporting ioods Fishing Tackle Firearms
Safe
Paints
Barnes
Refrigerators Spark Plugs
Varnishes, finishes Oils
Saddlery Hoofing Trunk
etc. etc.
GROCERIES
Fancy and Staple Lines, Feed, etc.
Silverwa re
niniuiiitiou
Flashlights
( reuse
Suit Case
Shoes.
DRY
Toilet Supplies
GOODS
Stationery
etc. etc.
INSURANCE AGENTS
Writers of Fire, .Marine, Compensation, Automobile and Misivllaneous
Insurance Policies.
AGENTS FOR
Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Line
Upon application information will Ik- cheerfully furnished in regard to any
of our linen in which you may Ih- interested.
4
HALL & S0N-wvk
It lJJ HONOLULU VM
W II Distributors jV
TERRIT0RY 0F HAWAII lf j
0amb 41 kahW CftdiuwB 4ivt' vj
