The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-07-16
The Scarcity of Labor.

The question of LABOR is one of growing i'm
portance here, that is giving to planters espe-
cially great anxiety. \ manager of a planta-
ton writes to us that it is next to impossible
to obtain help to carry on a plantation even on
the smallest scale necessary for success, and that
unless some plan is soon devised by which more
laborers can be provided, some of our planta-
tiOns must be abandoned If this be really SO,
it becomes n serious question of governmental
policy, which should be discussed until a plan
is adopted which may not only bring relief to
plantations already established, but enable Others
to be commenced.
There is not 4 plantation on the islands that
has yet produced in one year 400 tons of sugar
or 500 900 pounds, though any of them are
capable of producing 600 tons easily, if h6Orers
could be had, while several of them have ma
| chinery and facilities for manufacturing 900
to 1900 tons per annuml As Il necessary con-
sequence OF carrying on the manufacture of
sugar on such q reduced scale, the cost of pro-
ducing our sugars is and must remain greater
than in other countries, where labor is more
abundant, and where from plantations of 1900
acres, 1900 to 1900 tons is the customary yield.
On one Of our estates, employing 200 la
OANAN WV tDN-1
cost of the sugar per pound on an average can
not be less than four or fire cents, while if the
same plantation could obtain and rely on the
assistance of 500 laborers, its yield of sugar
might be increased to 1900 or 1900 tons, at a
cost of d to 3 cents per pound. As a question
Of political economy, therefore, this subject of
Labor is one of vital importance to the people.
The benefit of Il large production of sugar,
would accrue to the planters first, no doubt,
but the laborers, their families, the people and
the government itself would share in it.
There are but two soul ces from which we can
expect to obtain laborers from abroad for agri-
cultural purposes-from the islands Of the South
Pacific and from China. 1t is useless to look
to Europe for laborers for plantations. They
may do for farmers, Mechanics, and city labor
ers, but for plantation service, no reliance should
be placed on them. The recent attempts of the
Peruvians to introduce into Peru, Polynesian
laborers from the South Sea Islands, by resort
ing to kidnapping, has excited great indigna-
ton against this mode of obtaining them. But
these acts of the Peruvians are those of private
citizens, who have engaged to obtain laborers,
voluntarily if they could, forcibly if they could
not otherwise, and ~disposing of them rs chattels
to the highest bidder. While this mode has
been universally condemned, we are not certain
but some plan of inviting Polynesian immi-
grants hither might be adopted by the govern
ment, which would be free from all censure.
Government, however, is the only party who can
or ought to undertake it.
If this mode is not practicable, the only re-
manning one is that of introducing coolies,
which has already been tried. 1t has its objec-
tions, many and serious ones, but whether the
necessities of the country do not outweigh them,
is a question which is open for debate. Some
of our oldest and best informed planters, who
participated in the importation of the coolies
brought here eight and ten years ago, and who
have watched the evils and benefits of the sys-
TEN, think that it is the only available one, and
that which alone will give us relief. =
But whatever system is adopted to remedy this
growing want, it will take time to initiate and
carry it into effect. Meanwhile much can be
done by the managers of estates to ameliorate
the condition of their laborers, so that they may
be more contented and less disposed to get away.
Most of the contracts with laborers are for one
or two years. The latter term is as long as it
is advisable to engage them, and generally at
its expiration they wish to take a vacation.
The disposition to return TO service, depends
greatly on the treatment that the laborers have
received from the manager. If he has been cruel,
exacting, and unreasonable, no inducements will
bring them back if. on the contrary, his treat
ment has been mild, however firm it NAV have
been, they will eheerfully return after spending
their earnings. This labor question depends,
therefore, in some degree on the planters them
selves, their managers and overseers. We have
been much interested in Madame Pfeifer's ac-
count of sugar plantations in Mauritius, and in