The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-10-16

plantation life. There was the chance in the one,
Of getting fifteen hundred barrels. with some
thing to receive the return, while the advance
given, enabled the sailor and his friends to have
good time for a week or 30 before he sailed.
on she plantation in which he, (NIr. Wy was
interested, be had different nationalties aborers
Had twenty South Sea Islanders, and liked them
much, quiet and Industrious But they cost
too much. a Manahiki man, with his wife and
two three children, cost in all, for food incud
ing wages for the man,-the only one of the
family available as a worker,-Sl7 month, and
no planter could afford to pay that. As to
! Chinese women, he considered them of possible
use on a plantation. lie had four Chinese
women, and they cost him $1,000 to feed them
/ four years, by his calculation. Chinese men
! leborers, however, he well satisfied with.
Never had occasion to punish them. They had
learned the language sufficiently to understand,
and work went on satisfactorily. These old
hands could break in the new ones to the routine.
Had some japanese, but considered them much
inferior to the Chinese laborers. They were both
unable and unwilling to work.
s. b. Dole-lIad heard the accounts given by
different individuals of the working of laborers
of different nationalities, and had noticed that
there was a wide divergency of opinions expressed,
some spoke highly in praise of their men, both
Chinese and japanese, and others again were
dissatisfied with them. Opposed the idea. enter
tanned by some, that the natives are lazy and will
not labor. If proper inducements are held out
to them, they. Industrious as any people.
Called attention to the condition of Waimea, on
Kauai, where the people, having proper encour-
| agement, had devoted their attention to rice
growing, and were thriving and prosperous.
A. f. Judd-It is n fact that natives generally
prefer any other engagements to labor, except
those on plantations. Had known an instance,
in which some natives, rather than go to service
on plantation, which chance was offered them
by the authorities, preferred to run the risk of
going To prison on n criminal charge. The na-
tive idea is that they about the same as slaves
when employed ON a plantation, and hence they
avoid it., when they can The subject OF the
management OF laborers, ought to be well ven
tilated. Don't opprcss the laborer. 1t would
be desirable to adopt plan of different rates Of
wages, epportioned according to the zeal and
ability displayed by the worker
The. Minister Of The Interior inquired of Mr..
Judd who he meant by " the authorities giving
natives the opportunityto engage as laborcrs on
plantation, and 30 be released from prosecution
on n criminal charge.
Mr.. Judd stated that the alternative had been
offered by the Attorney General.
w. l.. GreeH-The more foreign laborcrs that
are brought here, of course the more consuuicrs
there will be, and the natives who are producers
must be benefited thereby.
Rec. Mr.. AIeIander-Frce immigration, from
European countries, as advocated by some, was a
good idea, if practicable, but what inducements
have We to offer. There is vast difference in
this respect between position and that Of the
UNITED States. We cannot here hold out 10
\eyery immigrant that he may and can, If he de-
hires, become possessed Of farm.
w. c. JOnes-It has been conceded on all
bands that native labor is the best. Then We
Ashould employ that class of laborers, instead of
roing abroad for others Let some prompt and
saectual measures be adopted for staying the de-
crease of the native race. Let us devote our
Energies to this end, and not thoughtlessly sacri
ice the momentary interests of the sugar busi-
pess mt the expense Of other interests which are
OF paramount Importance. The planting interest
must come into competition with other interests.
c. j. Lyons moved to strike out that portion
Of the resolution endorsing the action of the
Board of immigration in bringing hither the
Pacific Islanders. The motion not meeting with
u second, the question the passage Of the
third resolution was put and carried.
On motion of Mr.. j. o. Carter, the fourth
and fifth resolutions were transposed
I. Barflen-The labor contract system in vogue
here, had been termed the obnoxious coolie sys-
TEN. People in every day conversation had
spoken of buying and selling man or q woman.
He objected to this kind of phraseology, for it
was not founded on fact. One thing however
was evident, we must have more labor, to sustain
the agricultural industries Of the country. He
favored fair and just system of contracts be-
tween the employer and the employed. We do
no injustice to the native population by bringing
cheap labor here, but on the contrary it will
fanl IN hetf cir he
TEN is the best, but it should be carefully sur
rounded with guards. Had fear of our got
ting too many immigrants here-the more the
bettcr-tbesa presence will increase business.
C. }. Lyons-The present condition our labor
System must be traced to the transition state
through which the natives, and are yet passing
In view OF our surroundings and the age in which
we live, we ought TO put ourselves as near "a
possible, in unison with the great and growing
country which is nearest neighbor-the
United States. In speaking of the contract
system as it exists here, he referred to Sec
ton 1420 of the Civil Code, upon which our
coolie system is based, (providing for imprison-
ment at hard labor Of persons lawfully bound to
service. who shall refuse to serve as provided for
by Section l4l9.) 1t was not tie system war
rantcd by the customs Of free countries except
ing perhaps, where they are intended to apply to
the shipment OF seamen or guano iaborers. He
did not object to labor contracts as such, but to
contracts which are to be enforced by penal laws
As to the phrases which are used ordinarily in
speaking Of this contract system-it was but a
Legitimate result Of the system itself IL dis
tinctly marks two ciasscs-the rich and the poor
the planter and the laborer,-and tends to keep
away skilled labor from the islands.
s. 4. AIsrngdeT-The condition OF the labor
yrs our plantations, both natives and foreign
Srs, is far better every way than in any other
employment.
e. Bailey would like to be informed what
really Is this odious coolie system - we hear 50
much about.
1heo- II. Daries-When he first came to these
Islands, he was under conditions very much the
same as the coolie. He was under a contract to
serve Tor certain number Of years, and his con-
fracf cnull hare bear. IL