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In 1856, the Legislature provided for the Appointment, by the Minister of the Interior, of three persons in each Election District to act as Commissioners of Private Ways. Their major duty was to hear and determine controversies respecting rights of way.

In 1860, the Act was amended to include rights of water as well as rights of way. Although adding water privileges, the Legislature stated that this Act in no way interfered with the provisions of another Act entitled "An Act to Authorize the Minister of the Interior to Take Possession of Whatever Land and Water may be Required for the Use of the Honolulu Water Works."

When appealing a decision of the Commissioners of Rights of Way and Rights of Water, the plaintiff had to post bond with the commissioners, as he was responsible for court costs if the case was lost. (Laws, 1868, p.6). Also, in 1868 (Laws, 1868, p.28), a provision was added that required a commissioner to disqualify himself in any case where he had a personal interest.

Act 69, 1886, stipulated that records should be kept and deposited with the clerks of the respective courts. Act 61, 1888, changed the number of commissioners from three to one per election district.

With annexation and the 1900 Organic Act, the authority to appoint Commissioners passed to the Governor, but its duties remained the same.

In 1907 (Act 56), the commission was abolished, and the judge of the circuit court within which the affected property is situated was given jurisdiction to hear and determine controversies respecting rights of way and water, with provision for appeals through the Supreme Court. This law remains in effect. (HRS 1976, Sec. 664-32).

The Contractors License Board was established on June 4, 1957.

The practice of leasing lands by His Majesty Kamehameha III predates the establishment of the Board of Commissioners of Crown Lands. The Crown Lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom were formally established after the mahele, or division of lands between Kamehameha III, the chiefs, and the konohiki. The mahele is a single land transaction that commenced on January 28, 1848 and ended on March 7, 1848. On March 8, 1848, Kamehameha III signed and sealed two instruments. One instrument surrendered a portion of Kamehameha III' s lands to the chiefs and people and served as his payment of commutation to the government. The lands conveyed by Kamehameha III to the government became known as Government Lands. The second instrument conveyed perfect title to the remaining lands for the personal use of Kamehameha III. These lands became known as Crown Lands and were the private lands of Kamehameha III, his heirs, and successors. "An Act relating to the lands of His Majesty the King, and of the Government" passed on June 7, 1848 codified the mahele and the creation of Government Lands and Crown Lands. Prior to 1865, the Crown Lands were alienable, the private domain of the King, leased and sold at his will, subject only to the rights of tenants.

"An act to relieve the royal domain from encumbrances, and to render the same inalienable," approved by Kamehameha V on January 3, 1865, made the Crown Lands inalienable and placed them under the administration of the Board of Commissioners of Crown Lands. The act mandated that Crown Lands descend to the heirs and successors of the Hawaiian Crown. The act limited Crown Land lease terms to a maximum of 30 years.

The act formally established the Board of Commissioners of Crown Lands.

Article 95 of the Constitution of the Republic of Hawaii merged Crown Lands and Government Lands to create what is known as Public Lands. The Crown Lands Commission dissolved by the passage of the Land Act of 1895. The function of managing Crown Lands which later became Public Lands passed on to the following Hawaiian government agencies: Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, Commissioner of Public Lands, and the Land Management Division upon approval by the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Washington Place was built by Captain John Dominis near ‘Iolani Palace in Honolulu on the island of O‘ahu. The two and a half story Greek Revival home constructed between 1844 and 1847, has lower level coral stone walls, columns circling the house, verandas, Tuscan columns, fanlight and sidelight entrance, Georgian floor plan, wood frame upper floor, and hipped roof.

Washington Place is significant for its association with the changing role of the United States in the world community and as the residence of the last ruling monarch of Hawai‘i, Queen Lili‘uokalani.

From 1919 to 2002, it continued to serve as the executive mansion for the territorial governors (1919-1959) and the state governors after Hawai‘i became the 50th State of the United States of America.

Washington Place was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2007.

David La‘amea Kamanananakapu Māhinulani Nāla‘ia‘ehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua was born on November 16, 1836 in Honolulu, Oahu and died on January 20, 1891 in San Francisco, California.

November 20, 1855 to 1873: Kalākaua was appointed to serve on the Privy Council.
1859 to 1873: Kalākaua served in the House of Nobles.
June 30, 1863 to March 18, 1865: Kalākaua served as the Kingdom's first Postmaster General.
February 19, 1864, Kalākaua was appointed as Chamberlain to the King's Household and was reappointed in August 20, 1864.
January 21, 1865: Kalākaua appointed to the Bureau of Immigration.
March 22, 1870: Acting Governor of Oahu.
January 20, 1873: Colonel on King's Staff.
July 1, 1873: Land Appraiser, Oahu.
February 12, 1874 to January 20, 1891: King of the Hawaiian Islands.

The department was established in 1959 under the Reorganization Act of 1959, Act 1, Second Special Session. The title of the Auditor of the Territory had been changed to comptroller in 1957, and the 1959 Act combined the comptroller's department with the non-highway functions of the Territorial Department of Public Works (1900-1959), the Board of Commissioners of Public Archives (1905-1959), the Board of Disposal (1933-1959), the Bureau of Purchases and Supplies (1941-1959), and the Disposal Committee (1945-1959).

In 1963 the Department of Budget and Review was abolished and the Department of Budget and Finance was established through Act 114 of Session Laws of Hawaii, 1963.

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism was established in 1963 by merger of the existing Department of Economic Development and Department of Planning and Research into the Department of Planning and Economic Development. Renamed the Department of Business and Economic Development effective July 1, 1987, upon the transfer of the department's traditional planning function to the Office of State Planning, and to reflect a change in focus in the department from planning to actively fostering a healthy
business environment. Renamed again as the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, effective July 1, 1990, to highlight the importance of tourism in the Hawaii
economy and the department's new role in promoting and marketing the tourism industry.