The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-03-22
The Labor Question.

Pursuant to the call made by Messrs. Ii.
Hackfeld & Co., L. Ii. Davies, W. G. Irwin &
Co., and others interested in the introduction oil
East India Coolies or other people suitable for
hborers on our plantations as recorded in our
Hast issue, Il meeting was held at the Chamber of
Commerce, at 10 O'Clock A. NJ, on Saturday
last as suggested by His Elk. S. G.. Wilder,
/ Minister of the Interior, at which he and many
Of our most interested citizens attended.
The Hon. Mr.. Rhodes was called to the chair
and Mr.. Ii. l.. Sheldon acted as secretary. Mr..
Rhodes stated the object of the meeting, and
that it was his opinion as most Of the gentlemen
present were aware, that q full and abundant
supply of efficient laborers could be induced to
immigrate to these islands from India. In sup
port of his opinion he begged to introduce to the
gentlemen present Mr.. Horne, q gentleman fill
ing the Office of cOnservator of woods and forests
in Mauritius, and now collecting specimens of
our cane for the planters of that island, who
would kindly answer any questions relating to
the matter in hand. Mr.. Horne took a paper
containing a dozen or more questions and an
swered them in detail. The gist of his informa-
ton was that Of the population of Mauritius,
about two hundred and forty thousand were East
Indian Coolies. OF these about one hundred
thousand were employed on the sugar planta-
tons, and others as small shop-keepers, selling
fruit, matches and wood, while Others again
sought employment as domestic servants which
they readily found, being preferred to all others
that they were n peaceable race, riots being I'M
heard Of among them. Upon it's being asked
whether they did not sometimes make frivolous
complaints against their employers, Mr.. Horne
said this certainly was the case, but when the
charge was brought homo to Thorn, they wcro
punished by The Magistrate or Commissioner
Commissioners had been appointed some years
back specially to attend to and look after these
imported laborers- At first these appointments
were not liked as it was thought they would
interfere with the business of the plantations,
but it was soon discovered they were OF the
greatest value, as they prevented many misun-
derstandings; complaints on either side being
speedily settled by them, and so prevented from
being carried into the law courts.
With regard to their efficiency as laborers.
On their first arrival they wer generally awk-
ward, but soon learned to handle tools and in a
few months became good laoorers. The proper
ton of women that the British Government
required to be taken was forty to a hundred men.
Sometimes it was difficult to engage that number
of women, as they generally came as wives to
the men, but nobody knew whether they were
really married or not. On one occasion q cap
tain who was carrying Coolies did not have on
board the requisite number, but was suffered to
leave on promising to make up the proper quota
on his next voyage.
The wages given to the men were five or six
shiilings o week, out of which they supported
themselves and families. The women got less.
about half. They worked in the fields or not as
they liked, but many of them did so. When.
DElL0 dShCo hOn DhNh IA CdDBOAG
on so small n sum, Mr.. Horne answered that the
vessels which brought the people from India fill
ed their ships partly with rice. This was
bought at the shipping port at so many rupees
for 100 lbs averaging about a cent and a half OF
our money per pOund). The Indian lived upon
little besides rice and the few currie plants he
could grow in q bit of a garden. His great OBJ
iect was to become the possessor of a COW, that
was his great ambition. He then considered
himself we'll off. Sometimes as many as ten
thousand coolies came to Mauritius in one year.
and sometimes not more than one half the num-
Der. 1t depended entirely upon the coolies
themselves whether they wished to leave their
country or not. In times of famine the emf
grafton of these people was not allowed by the
Indian Government for fear Of their feeble and
emaciated state. (the emigrants being generally of
the poorer classes,) causing death before reaching
the port Of debarcation. They are generally
healthy and not at all subject to disease; certain
ly rot more so than the generality Of Europeans
or Americans
This was about the sum of information fur
nished by Mr.. Horne, for which on motion of
Mr. Davis the thanks Of the meeting were
unanimously voted to that gentleman.
The Hon. Mr.. Carter thought the movement a
mistake. He had had considerable experience in
the matter already on his mission to England.
Lord Salisbury and the British Government had
indeed received him very kindly, but had frankly
told him that to carry out his object he would
have to 90 to India, and that the Government OF
that country would throw every obstacle in his
way as they did not wish their people to be de-
ported. He had gathered information from diff
ferent sources, had learned that the Danish and
Dutch Governments had both endeayored to get
supplies of laborers for their colonies from India
that some had been taken, but that the interior,
ence of the British officials was SO intolerable
that the measure was gwen Up, so that no more
coolies go either to Surinam or the Danish pos
sessions. He had besides learned that from forty
to eighty thousand pounds 1890 900 to $500,
OO0) would be required to be expended before we
received a single coolie, if we did get one after tht
expenditure Of so much money. We must loOs
to Madeira and other places than India for a sup
ply Of laborers for our planters.
After some discussion Mr.. Rhodes said b.
could not agree with Mr.. Carter that although
Mr.. Carter had failed to accomplish the obJec
for which he was sent on his late mission tn
matter was of such importance as 10 demand an
other trial that he had prepared q short memor
ial to the King and His Cabinet, which he rea,
to the meeting. 1t was now drawing toward
noon, and as the Minister of the Interior an
some other gentlemen present had to attend tn
King ut that time the meeting adjourned to NEE
again at the same place at 10 O'Clock on Saturda
:, next Ito day..
We understand that Mr.. Rhodes has sent
copy of his memorial to each Of the planters o
the other islands, they being the persons primar
" concerned. with q circular letter requestln
them to sign the memorial provided they thin
the matter of procuring q supply Of labor of su