The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-04-06

a LITTLE MORE than two years ago, February
%, 1870 an address signed by influential MEM
bers OF the community, was presented to His
Majesty the King in Privy Council, earnestly
calling the attention of the then advisers of the
Crown to the fact, then and now so patent. of
the rapid decrease of the Hawaiian people, and
urging a policy and a line of action with refer
ence to the subject of repopulation L. a subject
to quote from the late Kamehameha w." in
comparison with which all others sink into insig-
nifcance for our first and great duty is self
preservation" 1t will be remembered also that
the memorial, as it was called, met with no
encouragement from the then Ministry. In De-
cember however of the SANE year, that Ministry
retired from Office and was succeeded by new
men, the positions of Minister of the Interior and
Minister of Foreign Affairs being assumed by
prominent signers of the memorial of the preced-
ing February, viz: Messrs. j. Mott Smith and H..
A. 2. Carter. We need hardly remind our read
es that the advent of these gentlemen to Office
was regarded very hopefully by the entire COM
munity, as an earnest of an approaching era of
activity and enterprise. Especially in view of
the sentiments advanced in the memorial of Feb
ruary, 1876, the fellow-signers with the new
Ministers were confident that strenuous efforts
would be made by them to at least test the feasibi-
lily of proposed schemes for repopulating the
country, by procuring immigration from abroad.
The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, shortly |
after taking office, unquestionably devoted much
attention to the subject of immigration, and we
are informed tnat correspondence was had with
parties at the Western Islands with a view to
Portuguese immigration and also with the Rep
of the British government here, in
to the probable view which the
British authorities might entertain of the project
had been advocated in the memorial, of
endeavorlng to procure immigrants from the East
Indies, the people of which country, being off
,Ognate race with the Hawaiians, it was thought
would readily assimilate with them. In both
instances it is understood that encouraging re-
plies were received, but more especially in the
natter of East Indian immigration. For this
after fact we are doubtless no little indebted to
he friendly Offices Of the British Representative
lere, who has always evinced a decided interest
n the welfare and prosperity of the Hawaiian
nation. When in June last it was announced
hat Mr.. Carter was about to proceed to Europe
IN a diplomatic mission, the undoubted under
on the part of the public was, that be-
Ides the settlement of questions arising out of
reaty stlpulatlons, one prominent and highly i'm
'ortant object of his mission was to come to an
understanding with the British government re-
pecting immigration from the East Indies. Ten
months have elapsed since our Envoy departed on
lis mission to Europe, and it is reported that he
will shortly return. The report is also current
hnE xrhilo Tho
With Germany and the discussion of questions of
growing out CT treaty stipulations with
treat Britain, have been industriously and
thoroughly attended to, the no less important sub
ect of immigration from the East Indies has been
ntirely Ignored. In view of the decided stand
AIKEN upon this question of repopuIation by Mr..
'arter, both before and after taking Office in the
Overnment, the only solution of the fact of his
naction in this vitality important matter is
ound in the suggestion that he is simply acting
nder instructions from home. We shall bel
cry glad however to know that we are mistaken
this view of the case. OF this much, however,
re are assured, that both Lord Derby and Lord
a~ulsbury of the English Ministry have expressed
very favorably disposed to the scheme :
T an East Indian immigration to these islands.
After all that has been said and written about !
lie lamentable decrease of this nation and the
atriotic utterances of the King at the commence
ent of his reign, to the effect that the increase =
the people should be the watchword of his
'vernment and after all the hopes of a vigorous .
olicy in this direction that were inspired on the !
.cession of the present Ministry to Office we
'e loath to accept the conclusion that the only
suit of all this is to be the continued influx of n
ale Chinese laborers, to still further add to the '
vigorous ~disprOportion of sexes which has exis-
d for years, and which is rapidly fastening the