Commissioner of Public Lands

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Authorized form of name

Commissioner of Public Lands

Parallel form(s) of name

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1900-1959

History

By section 73 of the Hawaiian Organic Act of April 30, 1900.

The duties of the Commissioner of Public Lands were assumed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources by the Hawaii State Government Reorganization Act of 1959.

Places

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

The Commissioner of Public Lands managed all the lands in the possession, use, and control of the Territory of Hawai'i. The Commissioner, with the authority of the governor, leased, sold, or otherwise disposed of public lands and with the approval of the governor, entered into agreements or contracts with the counties for the construction by the latter of any roads based on plans and specifications prepared by the counties in or through tracts opened for homestead, residence, or business purposes. The commissioner issued Land Patents in Confirmation of Land Commission Award; general leases and water licenses on public lands; agreements of sale such as special sales agreements, special homestead agreements, and right of purchase leases; land patent grants; deeds in exchanges and quitclaim deeds; and certificates of occupation and homestead leases. The commissioner was responsible for maintaining records of all land patents, leases, grants or other conveyances of any government land or real estate prepared by, and issued by his office. The office of the Commissioner included Territorial Surveyor, Farm Loan Board, depository for all documents pertaining to real property, and Division of Hydrography. The commissioner was mandated to act to protect the interests of agriculture and the general welfare of the Territory of Hawaiʻi.

Mandates/sources of authority

Hawaiian Organic Act: An Act to Provide a Government for the Territory of Hawaii. Act of April 30, 1900, c 339, 31 Stat 141, Sections 73, 99, and 107.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1905. Title VI - Public Lands. Chapters 20, 24, and 26.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1915. Title VII - Public Land, chapters 29, 30, 32, and 33.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1925, volume 1, Title VIII, chapters 39, 40, 44. Volume 2 Appendix - Crown, Government, and Fort Lands. Disposition of Government Lands. Homestead Laws.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1935, Title VII, Chapters 54 and 56.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1945. Title 10: Public Lands, chapter 78: Public Lands: Management.

Internal structures/genealogy

General context

Relationships area

Related entity

Department of Land and Natural Resources (1959)

Identifier of the related entity

Category of the relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

Department of Land and Natural Resources

is the successor of

Commissioner of Public Lands

Dates of the relationship

1959

Description of relationship

Related entity

Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (1895-1900)

Identifier of the related entity

Category of the relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

is the predecessor of

Commissioner of Public Lands

Dates of the relationship

1900

Description of relationship

Related entity

Land Management Division (1959-1997)

Identifier of the related entity

Category of the relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

Land Management Division

is the successor of

Commissioner of Public Lands

Dates of the relationship

1959

Description of relationship

Related entity

Board of Land and Natural Resources (1900)

Identifier of the related entity

Category of the relationship

associative

Type of relationship

Board of Land and Natural Resources

is the associate of

Commissioner of Public Lands

Dates of the relationship

1900 - 1959

Description of relationship

The Board and Commissioner jointly approved certain decisions under the Organic Act.

Access points area

Subject access points

Place access points

Occupations

Control area

Authority record identifier

Maintained by

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

Hawaiian Organic Act: An Act to Provide a Government for the Territory of Hawaii. Act of April 30, 1900, c 339, 31 Stat 141, Sections 73, 99, and 107.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1905. Title VI - Public Lands. Chapters 20, 24, and 26.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1915. Title VII - Public Land, chapters 29, 30, 32, and 33.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1925, volume 1, Title VIII, chapters 39, 40, 44. Volume 2 Appendix - Crown, Government, and Fort Lands. Disposition of Government Lands. Homestead Laws.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1935, Title VII, Chapters 54 and 56.
Revised Laws of Hawaii, 1945. Title 10: Public Lands, chapter 78: Public Lands: Management.
Commissioner of Public Lands Annual Reports. 1900-1910; 1915-1958.
Department of Land and Natural Resources Annual Reports. 1961.

Maintenance notes

2020-07-29, Joel Horowitz: Entered into AtoM

  • Clipboard

  • Export

  • EAC

Related subjects

Related places