Polynesian., 1852-06-05

es m letters which Will be found in appendix T..
The Minister believes that there is no Just
ground for the complaints made by some of the
Catholics against the present system of school ex-
aminations, and testes to the fact that the Cath
olic parents and teachers, and pupils do not gen.
orally object to the system, but have repeatedly
assured him that they preferred meeting with the
other schools for examination, and that he was
often assured by the teachers that their priests on
ly objected. That the Catholic priests have ad-
vised the teachers of the Catholic schools to re-
fuse obedience to the lawful orders of the school
inspectors to bring their schools to the general
examinations, and by thus persuading them to re-
sist the law, have been the of their dismiss
al from office. He testifes that complaints are
not only made by Catholics of the wages of their
teachers as compared with the Protestant teachers
but also by Protestant teachers that Catholic teach
ers receive more pay in proportion to their acquire
meats than they do; and he gives reason why
the Catholic teachers are often less skilled than
the Protestant, the fact that the Protestant Mission
has tor many years past, sustained seminary for
the purpose of educating young men as teachers,
&C.; and have printed many Hawaiian school books,
while the Catholics have no similar institution and
but few books, which are chiefly of religious
character That the Catholic teachers, therefore.
generally fall far below their Protestant brethren.
That the wages Of the teachers are not decided
by him, but by the school inspector and the trus-
tees of each school.
The Minister handed to the Committee all the
complaints which have been made to him during
the past year, by Catholics, in relation to schools,
with the documents connected Herewith, which
will be found in Appendix, C. The most import
ant of these will also be found in the Appendix,
ID, translated into English, with the testimony
| taken separately by the Committee. These COM
plants, TO the surprise of the Committee, were but
four In number, one only of which, was decided
wholly against the conplanants, one partially and
ftoo entirely IN their favor. All these complaints
which have caused SO much correspondence, are
OF trivial nature, and would not be worthy of
notice, but for the purpose of showing in its true
light, the real nature of these difficulties out of
which SO much political capital has been manu.
factured. The manner in which the Minister of
Public instruction has treated these complaints as
shown by the documentary evidence adauced,
should put TO the blush those who have been so
ready to charge him with partiality and injustice
in the performance of his official duties. The
history of these complaints is, in substance, as
follows:
l. COMPLAINT OF P. K.MaKA.
P. Kamaka, Catholic teacher on Molokai.
| complained that Hooilo wrote to him at Maui, to
come over and tech school, and he would paw
him 81 l-2 cents per day. But that after he COM
menced teaching, he refused to pay him more than
25 cents per day. Hooilo denied that he had
promised 81 l-2 cents per day, except OH cond-
| ton that he proved himself worthy of that pay.
The parents and scholars (also Cathocs) petition
ed the Minister in favor of Kamaka. In order to
obtain more correct information of the case, the
Minister appointed Kamaipelekane (now the mem
Der for Molokai of this House) and Kaluna, the
tax gatherer, TO examine the case, and report to
him their opinion of its merits. They reported
that they had examined the teacher Kamaka with
the other teachers, and that on comparison, he was
not worth more than 25 cents per day. On receipt
of this opinion, the Minister submitted the docu-
ments to the Privy Council, by whom the decision
/ of the school inspector was confirmed. This is
| the course prescibed by law in such cases, and
| the decision of the Privy Council is final. Ka-
maka, however came to Honolulu, and again ap-
pealed to the Minister who wrote to him that
although the matter had been settled by the Privy
Council, he had handed the documents to the
Committee on education. Kamaka in his testi-
mony says he received no reply to his last appeal
but this is mistake, the letter of the Minister
will be found in the Appendix C, and its transla-
| ton in Appendix, D.)
The committee have examined these documents,
and have also examined both Kamaka and Kamai-
pelkeane, whose testimony, with that of loane Ma
ria, the catholic priest Molokai, will be found
in app. d. 1t will be seen by that testimony, that
the speedy settlement of this trivial question, was
prevented, mainly by the interference of the cath
olic missionary, who attempted, by threats Of
French vengeance, to intimldate the examining
committee into giving decision in favor of Ka-
maka. 1t is not to be wondered at that the native
Hawaiian should look with distrust and dislike on
those who attempt to accomplish their objects,
however worthy those objects may be. con-
sidered, by such unjust and distasteful means.-
1t will be seen that Kamaka states that if his priest
had explained to him the law of which ne was only
made aware by the committee, he should not have
appealed from the decision of the Privy Council.
| The testimony of Kamaipelekane shows that he
and Kaluna were disposed to.do justice, and that
their decision was in accordance with the facts.
The committee do not see how more pains could
have been taken by the minister to arrive at the
truth, or how any other decision could be made in
this case.
II. Complaint of Pakaka.
Xiii, School Inspector of Puma, Hawaii, called
together some of the schools of the district for
animation. Pakaka, a catholic teacher, refused to
obey the order, the ground that his priest would
cast him off if he did so, and had told him to re-
main and be examined in his school-house. Xiii
then refused to pay his wages, telling him that if
he refused to obey the government by whom he
was employed, account of the priests orders, he
had better go to the priest for his pay. He also
dismissed him from office. Pakaka appealed to
the minister who laid the documents before the
Privy Council, by whom Xiii was ordered to pay
the wages DUE but sustained i'll dismissing the
teacher for refusing to obey his orders. Not salts
fed with this decision Eutate the catholic priest
at Hio, has brought complaint before this house,
in letter addressed to one Of its members, tsee
app. d. This letter states that the school in
spector ordered the catholic teacher to bring his
school for examination to the {" Calvanistie Tenn
pie" which was contrary to the rule of their order
and for this reason the teacher refused obedience,
and charges the Privy Council with having decld-
ed in opposition to the law which allows an lnde-
pendant stand to the cathollcside. It is unfortu-
nate for the reputation Of the priest as lover Of
peace, that he did not acquaint himself with the
fact in the case before making an appeal to this
house, and such charges against the Privy Council
in this matter. The letter of the teacher Pakaka