Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-06-23
The Sandwich Islands,

We have received from Honolulu late num-
bers of the Polyncs'an containing the Reports
of the Minister of Foreign Relations, the
Minister OF the Interior, and the Minister Of
Public instruction, laid before the Mobiles and
Representatives of the Hawaiian Islands, as
semhlcd in Legislative Council in April last,
They contain some interesting facts. A largo
portion of the first named Report is taken up
with the subject of the traffic in foreign.
mainly French, liquors. The Minister states
that in the past year the consumption of
spirituous liquors, principally Brandy,
amounted to II 500 gallons, an increase of
1000 gallons and more over the preceding
year, in spite Of the high duties, which are
some 500 per cent nd rdlorem on brandes.
lie considers consequently that the system of
high duties, " so far checking the progress
OF their consumption or the decrease of the
degrading vice Of drunkenness, has been
complete failure and recommends reduc-
ton of the duties, which France desires, in
consideration for a treaty with France, such
az exists between the Hawaian Government
Great Britain, in place of the present treaty
with France, by which the King of the
Islands is deprived of certain rights. He says,
moreover, " As for the adoption of the Maine
Law in this Kingdom in the present state
OF our revenue, no man of practical sound
sense would recommend it,
He also looks forward, he says, to the time
when the Executive departments of the Kings
government will pass from foreign into native
hands, and hopes the time will come when all
public documents will be printed in the native
language.
From the Report of the Minister of the In
toriorit appears that the sales of Public lands
during the year 1853, amounted to 1901
acres, tho price of which was SIS, ,065. The
Commissioners Of Public health expended
during the year an appropriation of $4,000
and an additional sum of nearly $50 900
raised on the private credit of the King and
Privy council, in combating the ravagcs of
the small pox. The receipts Of the Interior
Department were $50 1875 81 and the the cx-
penditurrs SS0.077 %.
From the report of the Minister of lnstruc-
ton we find that the whole number of Public
Free Schools taught by natives in the Hawaiian
language In 1853 was 423, the scholars in
which numbered l2,20j. The scholars in
Protestant schools numbered 1882, in
Catholic schools 1924. The receipts of this
department were S24 1913 and the expendi-
lures on Free schools e2l $50. 1t appears
that one in every five of the whole popula-
ton of the Islands attends school some part
of the year or one hundred per cent more
than attend school in the United States all
taken together, where according to May hew's
work on popular educa ton - only one in ten
Of the whoic populaf,on duend school, any
part Of the yeor. In individual States in the
American Union the proportion OF those who
attend school is very different. For instance,
in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont,
EACH it is one in three. In Michigan, Mas
sachusctts, Connecticut and New York, it is
one in four In Rhode Island. it is one in
five (about the same as on these Islands J In
New Jersey and Ohio, each, one in eight. In
no other State is the proportion more than
one in ten; while in ten of the State. it is
less than one in twenty"
In the Sandwich Islands only about one
adult in four cannot read his Bible, his news
paper, the constitution and laws under which
he lives, and the ballot he throws into the
box, while IN North Carolina, one out Of
every three is unable to do so.
There are ten select schools in which the
English language is taught, and some 800
natives arc pursuing the study of English,
which is already to great extent the bust
ness language Of the Islands. 1t is very
difficult language for the natives to acquire,
but the desire to acquire it is universal and
knowledge Of it is becoming more and more
Indispensable to the native, to enable him to
cope with the white man. Without it, he will
by and bye be " stranger and an alien on
his own soil"
The Census Of the Islands was taken last
December by the native school teachers under
the supervision of Messrs. Bond and Jones,
American Missionaries. The grand total of
tbe population of the Island is 70, 3,l37; of
which II ,0l9 are natives and | ,ll8 foreigners.
The number of births during the year was
/ l,5l3 and the deaths s ,026 of which from five
to six thousand were by small pox