The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-04-05
East Indians in British Guiana.

In the year 1877, a series of prizes were offered
in British Guiana, for essays on various subjects of
interest to the inhabitants Of that Colony; and
among the rest was one of ESQ for the best essay
" On the system of immigration as carried on from
the East Indies and China to British Guiana, with
practical suggestions" Sc, SC. Four essays were
received on this subject, and from a printed copy of
these, with which we have been furnished, we make
brief extracts, as of interest here at this time.
1T would appear. at first sight, that given a country
ject to periodical faminos which cause the greatest
lions, emigration would be considered by Its rulers as q
desideratum; and that upon its encouragement would be
be exhausted in feeding a starving multitude. But this
has not been the policy Of the Indian and Chinese Gov
people, they have thrown every obstacle in the way
things, the planter in British Guiana cannot but feel
sometimes that for the great expenditure entailed by the
introduction Of the Immigrants, the returns In labor and
general usefulness OF the people on his estate Is dispro-,
portiOnate and inadequate, and he naturally looks round
for the cause, and II possible Tor the remedy Tor this
"And aret as to the Emigration Agency in India. There
are no doubt great difficulties to be overcome by our
Agents in India in order to provide a sufficient number
OF ablebodied laborers; and Us they are anxious to sup
ply the required quota for the emigration year, the num-
material. Now this is a mistaken policy: men are often
Wholly unit for deid labor, and who only MI the estates
hospital the To, 9Ims house ,SS 1 nsa, cur dPb Heis streets FF ns Eit4
never to have embarked such people, than TO bring them
over here 10 be a burden TO the estates proprietoTs and
the tax payers. Every effort should be made to induce
more women to emigrate, and the per centage Of women
TO men should be raised"
1t is impossible to get much labor ont Of weak, half.
starved men. and one Of the great difficulties with regard
TO Indian Immigrants is the apathetic laziness which in
many instances possesses them, causing them TO die away
from the atrophy Of starvation rather than exert them
selves to do work which is distasteful to them"
And lastly, in considering the physical comfort of the
Immigrants, too much stress cannot be laid upon the
deplorAble consequences of the present deficiency in the
number of female Immigrants; we do not hesitate TO
affirm that much of the crime, sickness and death upon
any estate may be traced directly or indirectly to this
cause alone"
to the case of the Chinese Immigrants, who are more cos
mopolitan in feeling than the East Indians, and who, if
they cannot get Chinese wives. easily accommodate them
selves from amongst the colored creole population"
The Hindoo, who is in his own country, the most
sober Of men. becomes in British Guiana infected with
the prevailing love Of rum, and may be seen Keeling
about. yelling in his frenzied excitement, or lying like &
log by the roadside in q state of drunken srupor. The
debanch Of Sunday is followed by its natural reaction; so
that on Monday, the unhappy yotary Of drink is most I'M
willing - exert himself, nay, often is incapable OF
doing So"
THE Indian Government are very tenacious in insist
ing upon the obligation of the Colonial Government to
give q free passage home to any Indian Immigrant who
has resided for ten years in the Colony"
s.All persons who have been in India represent that
there is the greatest difficulty in inducing 3 large number
Of the natives to leave their country: the mere fact of
crossing the sea destroys their caste, that impalpAbie
charm that so closely binds them, and it is only when the
achieved. Even Immigrants returning to their country
with plenty of money and goodwill towards Guiana. do
not induce their ~neighbors to come out in any numbers,
although they show their love Of their adopted home by
frequently returning, and this difficulty makes recruiters
inclined TO send over Sny applicants, unless there is some
great reason which cannot be overlooked: the recruiters
thing or other. and that Guiana is like the horseleeche's
daughter, continually crying give, give" But unless
applicants are used TO agricultural labor and willing TO
continue that pursuit, they are, to say the least, very