The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1876-03-08


not do better than make few extracts from the
Doctors report to the Board of Immigration on his
retnrn In connection with the subject Of our enter
ing into Convention with the British Government
to allow us to supply ourselves with population
from British India the Doctor SAYS page 80 ::
- | do not apprehend that this Government would
meet with great obstacles in the conclusion of
treaty; but there is no doubt that on the part
of the European element in India. strong feel
ing is gaining ground, in opposition to the emf
grafton OF coolies. The extensive net Of railroads
still in progress Of being built. to intersect
every important part Of that conHtry. the many
agricultural enterprises which have started into
existence since the mutiny by private individuals
and stock companies particularly the tea and
cotton cultivation, make large demands on the
labor capacity Of the country, which increase from
year to year. People at these islands will find il
strange that fears Of dear labor entertained in
a country, where wages still average only FIVE
rupees a month, and iamines are yearly Gecurren-
ccs but could bring numerous vouchers to the
truth of my statement. and these feelings are even
shared 10 some extent by the Indian Government
On page 80 the Doctor refers TO the great loss of
life which often takes place in transporting the
celebrated Hill Coolies, altho' in many respects
they are far the best of the East Indians. He OBJ
serves: A mortality of twenty to twenty-five
per cent has occurred journeys ito the tea dis
tricts and it has even risen as high as thirty per
cent. on a voyage to the Maurtius.n Again on
pages 1899. the Doctor observes: " The two
medical gentlemen confirmed what had already
heard about the great mortality Of the Hill Coolies
during the first week of tue sea voyage It's
cholera that this awful loss of life and it is
ascribed to the sudden and great change of diet
which these poor iamisbed people undergo"
" One of the intormants expresses himself
thus They seem to carry the cholera in their
blood y" Notwithstanding these alarming state
ments and the difficulty of bringing these people
so far, the Doctor seems inclined TO recommend
trial of " few hundred Indian Coolies composed
of the different races mentioned above To try and
test the various resources available to u.s. The
most that can be inferred from this report is that
in the pressing demand for laborers the Doctor
suggested that an experiment might be tried. the
result Of which however he cautions us, may be
doubtful with respect to the East Indians them
selves, and not without danger to our own people
His Majesty's Government hope that British India
may offer a field for an effort 10 recruit our pOpu-
lation they will continue enquiries in this di-
rection in the expectation that when the proper
time arrives something practically may appear
We have the advantage OF the experience of Cap
tain Daniel Smith who has on several occasions
been engaged in transporting these people to the
British Colonies. 1t is evident however that ex-
IRENE caution has to be exercised in all attempts
at repopulalion from British India and that grave
responsibility would be incurred by any Ministry
who in too hastily yielding to demands for more
people. might introduce diseases which this country
through Gods mercy has hitherto escaped.
The undersigned do not propose to occupy your
time further on the present occasion by discussing
the various comprehensive and general suggestions
contained in your address, for q radical reform and
change in the policy and in the government of this
country, especially those suggestions embrace an
extremely wide field, and would indeed require more
consideration and calculation than is consistent with
or expected in n reply of this nature. They would
however most respectfully state tlir belief that the
majority Of the sgners of this address in their aux
iety to see something developed on the main ques-
tiOn repOpulaOn, did not fully appreciate that the
wording of the address conveyed the impression that
some new and great danger to the prosperity and to
the independence of the Hawaiian Kingdom is mmi-
nent an impression which the undersigned cannot
think that most Of you intended to convey inasmuch
as there does not appear in any Of the aspects of the
commercial political state of this kingdom to-day,
anything which calls for the very strong expressions
of alarm used in many parts Of your address; not
anything more, certainly than has existed for the
last quarter Of q century.
The undersigned regret also that misapprehen-
sion in one part of your address, to which one of
your number calls attention, had not been earlier
noticed by many Of you, they refer TO what you truly
call the solemn appeal and invocation of His Majesty
Kamehameha Nv to his legislature, and which YOU
quote, but which the Hon. S. N Castle truly re-
marks, referred specially to saving the Hawaiian
race, not to introducing foreign one distinction
which Hawaans cannot fail to appreciate at its true
value; and as this solemn appeal Of one Of the most
enlightened of our sovereigns is brought forward by
you to aggrayate what you to consider the fail
ure OF the present government to take certain meas
ures for the repopulation of this kingdom from
abroad, candour would have no doubt induced you,
had your attention been earlier called to it. TO re-
commend remodelling of this part of your address.
as Mr.. Castle evidently was desirable for was
surely not your intention to make of the invoca-
ton Of Kamehameha " to his legislature to try and
effect one object, in order to urge upon his present
majesys government the carrying out of different
one, for the repopulation Of Hawaii from the teeming
millions of Asia is clearly the burden of your address
IL is true that you make reference to "recupera-
ton y of the Hawaiian race "by the infusion of new
blood and from this point of view the term repopu
lation may bear meanings which are of widely differ
ent import, but which should be clearly understood
We, and you, gentlemen, are told that Asia will fur
nish the " consanguineous afinities' which shall
effect this recuperation of the Hawaiian race God
grant that it may prove So but He alone knows what
races outside of Polynesia have the affinity 10 the
Hawaiian that may be necessary for this purpose;
man does not know, science does not certainly inform
him, 1t merely conjectures. 1t may be encouraging
to be assured that diligence and address will intro
duce races into this group, which shall by intermin-
Cling with them, "recuperate the Hawaiian peo-
pie, although those who have thought most on these
subjects tell us how delicate and difficult such prob
lens are, and calm and careful consideration of
this whole matter must impress Us all strongly with
the appropriateness of the remark appended in YOUR
address to the signature Of the very Reverend the
Bishop Louis Maigret, where he says, "caIlng TO
mind the words of DAVID "unless the Lord build
the house they labor in vain that build it''
But His Majesty's government are not DESTROYS of
laying too much stress the points in this address
to which they respectfully submit they may Justly
take exception and of which they have only referred
to parts they are anxious on the contrary to cousi
der it in the spirit in which they believe the large
majority signed it, and they would gladly receive
from you now, or early as may be convenient, and
after you thus learn their general views, further
more definite and practical suggestions not only for
repeopling the Hawaiian Islands from abroad, but
or saving the lives Of the people we have You well
know what large sums of money regularly appro-
1rated and spent with the latter object in view and
hat what is to be done in future to be of any effect
must be by legislation, and the appropriation Of the
requisite funds The Legislature meets next month
ind the present therefore appears most suitable
line for His Msjesy's government to receive from
Iou practicable suggestions for legislation which may
ssist in staying the decrease Of our native popula
ion, but in which effort we are all only too we'll
ware, every Legislature and every Cabinet has 60
ar unfortunately failed.
The government and people of this country have
lad offers and promises from those who have pro-
essed TO be able 10 lepers others lead US to
nter that they could stop the decline of our popula
ION, or readily Introduce people that by amagam-
ion would recuperate the Hawaiian race; it is for
ou, gentlemen, 10 assist the government and the
legislature of this country in the somewhat difficult
ask OF discriminating amongst these schemes, so
lrf fIa urfe 81.