The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-04-08
immigration.

To the Editor Of The Pacific Commercial Advertiser :
SIR A letter from Mr.. w. ii. Collins on the
important subject Of repopulation appeared a few
days ago in the columns Of your contemporary.
1t will doubtless be read with much interest by
many but | would warn the community against
accepting Mr.. C.is figures. He mentions that the
cost per caput of landing a coolie in Honolulu
would not exceed SIS. Now ! make bold to say
that if he had said $3.50 he would have been nearer
the mark. 1t would IN my humble opinion cost at
least Sl25 for each coolie landed here. / know
that after about a third is paid by the government
the planter in the British Colonies has TO pay
about $50 for each laborer. What did the gov
ernOr of FIJI say the other day when speaking on
this subject? Did he not put the cost per caput at
something like SIPS? If it therefore costs this
sum in a British Colony, it is not likely TO be less
here.
/ venture to observe that one serious error in
Mr.. C.'s estimate is in the chartering Of the ship.
You cannot / think charter a cOOlie ship at so
much per ton. Although l have resided in a colo
ny into which these coolies were imported at the
rate of from 1000 to 5000 yearly, / never knew OF
a ship being chartered otherwise than at so much
for each adult the price averaging about $50.
This sum be il borne in mind is for passage alone.
Again Mr.. G. is / think a long way out as to the
cost of medical attendance during the voyage. As
every ship leaves Calcutta a duly qualified medical
practitioner is placed on board. This gentleman
is sent from England solely for the one voyage,
and is sent back home again free Of cost to himself
s. 5000 can thus very well be placed on the list for
medical attendance. &c, instead Of the 81 900 as
estimated by Mr.. Collins.
In most of the other items the expense has been,
1 think, considerably moderated.
The method Of procedure for applying for this
kind of labor is undoubtedly through the Commits
siOner here TO the government in Eagland. The
governor general Of India is really acting under
the direction Of the secretary Of state for India,
who is a member If tue cabinet.
l think | may say that a more sitting opportunity
than the present, for applying for assistance from
England, will never again present itself The sec
rotary Of state for India--the marquis of Salisbury
one OF the most enlightened statesmen Of these
days. The present government Of England is pur-
suing what is called a vigorous foreign policy.
1t is not under what is termed the Exeter Hall in
fuence, which under a so-called liberal govern
meat would have great power. The planter in the
Colonies knows to his cost what this infu-
ence has done in the matter Of coolie labor. |
mention these circumstances to show. in the lrst
place, that in my opinion it would be useless to
apply for assistance TO any other cabinet which
may hereafter be formed in England, and such be-
ing the case, in the second place, to urge upon the
rulers of this kingdom the necessity to be up and
doing instantly, and not be wasting their time and
money by introducing the twenty-five dollar
1 am still Of opinion sha. it We followed the
adopted in Australia and New Zealand Of
sending an agent to England, Offering say a few
acres of land to each family with assistance until
be FIRST crop could be taken of. that there would
De no difficulty in obtaining from crowded Britain
class of men willing aud able for any work, and
n every way calculated to resuscitate tbeze isl-
Inds. The East Indian coolies are rather singular
n their ideas Of right and wrong. know them
olerably well. IL is no use Disgusting the fact,
hey are the very scum Of the population, and will
lot be found quite so docile as many would have
'ou believe. They possess all the oriental cum
ing common among eastern nations, aud the
Management of them will be found no easy task to-
hose unaequainted with ,heir peculiarities.
1 repeat therefore get the Anglo-Saxon, you
now then what Won baya. Wow !
N u. 4 n M II X T. II A II III &