The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-09-21
Pauperism-The Queens Hos
pitaI.

Iu4cE LNG nEA4 u II Il autEL6s LllC IL
Of this week, in a very short compass, succeeds
in conveying a large amount Of false impressions
and incorrect conclusions. The impression that
will most certainly obtain abroad from reading
the article to which we refer, will be that there
is a numerous class Of foreigners in these islands,
who are = unwilling and unable to work, - and
that these white mendieants among a race Of
people with whom beggary is unknown, are kept
in comfortable circumstances" through the
charity Of the more prosperous among us, upon
whom the support Of these - shiftlcss and IN
fortunate creatures has become = an extremely
heavy tax" Honolulu is thus represented as n
very paradise for beggars. Then the Gazette
goes on to state that it is " informed that num-
bers Of this class have been admitted into the
Queens Hospital, taking up the room and usurp-
ing the attention which rightfully belongs to the
natives of this country, many of whom need and
deserve all the facilities afforded" Now we are
informed from a perfectly reliable sOurce-one
which was equally accessible to the writer in the
GaSefte-that the conclusion irresistibly drawn
from the above quoted sentence is false and un-
founded. The number Of INDECENT sick of a for
eign nationality that have heretofore been admit
ted to the Queens Hospital, or that now remain
there is very smnll-not exceeding six at the
present time. OF late, the rule has been, (made
imperative ut present by a vote Of the Trustees)
not 10 admit any Of this class. Those now there
were undoubtedly admitted under the SUPPOSE
ton that they were durable cases, and now that
it is ascertained that they are incurable, We pre-
sumo that the instincts of humanity would pre-
vent even the Gazette writer from desiring to rec
them turned ont to starye and perish in the
street. They have never, in any instance, - taken
up the room or usurped the attention which
rightfully belongs to the natives but on the
contrary, they are lodged and kept apart from
the main building in a house by themselves.
The natives, "who need and deserve all the
facilities Afforded have, in the fullest sense,
enjoyed all those facilities. In no one instance
has n native been neglected or been left unat-
tended to, nor has ever n native case been turned
away, when properly presented. In the manage
ment of the Hospital, the idea has been kept con-
stantly in view that it was established primarily
and as far as possible exclusively for the benefit
Of the native race. Only at the last meeting Of
the Board Of Trustees, the subject was under
discussion as to whether the Government cannot
be induced to make some provision for the relief
Of the class of foreigners referred TO as 3 the
paupers &c class which, though not at present
SO numerous as has been represented, yet is likely
in the future to force upon the public attention
the subject of an alms-house.
If the Gazette writer, or any one else, will
take the pains to visit the Queens Hospital at
the present time, and make any and all necessary
inquiries as to it's management and the condition
and treatment of its inmates, we feel assured
they will depart as fully convinced as we are Of
the gross injustice and mischievous tendencies of
the style of writing INDUCED in under the head
of 3 The Paupers."
We spoke just now OF the approaching neces-
sity of a provision being made for an establish
ment kept at the public expense for the care and
maintenance Of paupers. But we sincerely trust
that time is yet far Off We believe that means
can be devised for taking care Of the few of this
class to be found among us, without our proceed
ing to build q national alms-house and making
pOor-laws. We have not yet arrived at that
peculiar degree of civilization that requires those
Institutions and their attendant expensive ma
chinery. And with our knowledge of the peo-
pie, we are convinced that the surest way in
which to create a pauper class here will be to
make provision for their support. Let it once
be thoroughly understood that the Government
will provide food, clothes and lodging for those
who are unable to procure those necessities for
themselves, and pretended paupers enough would
present themselves or be brought forward to fill
a larger building than the Hawaiian Hotel. We
are however aware of the fact that there exist ia
this city a few cases of extreme panperism and
hopeless disease, which cannot be received at the
Hospital, and which drag out n miserable exist
ence in dependence upon the noble but sorely
taxed charity of the benevolent. And we hold
that these cases ought properly to be provided
for by the aggregate contributions OF the public.
and that they would be so provided for were the
subject to be agitated by the proper persons and
in the proper manner.