Governor Stainback Saturday radioed a recommended bill to Washington for introduction into Congress which would set aside restrictions in the Organic Act and permit the territory to exchange land with private owners for creation of a waterfront safety zone at Hilo.
The radiogram was sent in response to a request earlier last week from Delegate Joseph R. Farrington and Hilo’s special delegation to Washington seeking aid on tidal wave damage problems.
In releasing his reply Saturday, the governor emphasized that he does not necessarily endorse the exchange method of acquiring the land, but he wants to have the bill introduced so that it can be used if found feasible.
He said he is strongly in favor of construction of a public waterfront safety zone in Hilo, but before proceeding with an exchange plan he wants to be sure that private owners of the land at Hilo will ask a reasonable price in the exchange and the territory “will not get stung.”
Principal owner of the private land at the Hilo waterfront is the Bishop estate.
The governor pointed out that the other alternative for obtaining the land is by condemnation proceedings initiated by the territory or by the country of Hawaii.
He said his bill, if passed, will “clear the way for getting the land.”
Members of the Hilo delegation which radioed the governor the request for such a bill are: Clem Akina, chairman of the Big Island board of supervisors; Al Green, president of the Hilo Chamber of Commerce, and A.T. Spalding, president of the Big Island Sugar Planters’ association.
The Hawaii Organic Act prohibits the territory from exchanging tracts of its land largeer than 40 acres or valued at more than $5,000 without permission from Congress.
The private land involved at Hilo is less than 40 acres, but is value at many thousands of dollards in excess of the $5,000 limit.
The governor’s bill would limit such exchanges to land at Hilo, Hawaii, within the area bounded on the north by the sea, on the south by Kamehameha Ave., and on the east by the Wailoa river, and on the west by the Wailuku river.
