The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-12-25
A Model Plantation.
IPRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT

propose to give your readers some account OF the
place. My observations were made during tne
period of His Majesty's late four days WISH 10 TINS
fine property. But what struck me was not any
thing which might be put down to the holiday guise
which the place might be supposed to assume on
such an occasion. 1t was the general arrangements
which have made the place what have called IT.
ga model plantation " which attracted my atten-
ton. I am sure that if some of the Improvements
and details of management TO be seen at PePekeo
were initiated throughout the islands, the hue-and-
cry about labor aud other troubles would in a great
degree be hushed.
The mill proper is n building Of corrugated iron
l20 feet long by 80 feet wide. the entire framework
Of the building being also OF iron. Cleahllness'
order. and discipline seem branded upon everything
The engine room is detached from the mill, at least
the ouly connection is the driving shaft ; this room
is q picture of neatness. IA parlor rather than a Work
shop in its appearance. The plant, which was turn
ed out By the Honolulu Iron Works is Of a capacity
to turn cut from II TO 10 tons per diem. The mill.
80 by 60 inches with double gearing and cane
carrier, is ID driven by an Is by AZ inch Putnam en-
CINE. There are also the juice-heater, five %clarihers'
vacuum pan feet BY 9 feet fitted with Blake's air
pump, four. Weston's centrifugals, a mixer. three
2OOO gallon juice tanks. blowers, ami coolers. The
IL ~ NV y
feet in width.
The hands in the mill wear light blue pants and
woolIen shirts of a reddish blue color. The field
laborers wear dark blue pants aud blouses. A field
hand can therefore be readily distinguished from q
mill hand at a distance. by this plantation uniform.
No mules or bullocks are employed to bring the cane
to the mill it is oil sent down by a aume construct
ed for this purpose. and to supply the power to the
,ro,or xubaal This duma ia ~ inches wide at the
ton, IL inches at the bottom, and 1S inches deep.
There are over 400 men employed, 900 Chinese
and $50 natives. 900 acres are now under c1ltiva-
ton, to be increased by 800 more with an addition of
$50 Chinese laborcrs. The manager, Mr.. Lee 10y,
assured me that the Company, of which Mr.. Along
is the Honolulu representative, has no trouble to get
all the laborers wanted, and ut "A rate of wages below
that paid at other pltnta ions. Not one desertion
has been reported since the commencement of his
management. When l asked him how this salts
factory state of things was attained, he replied
e" We give small advances. aud pay each man every
Saturday, Tor monthly At his wish) every cent We
owe him but We allow no one to run in debt to our
store, where we keep n complete outfit OF all neces-
saries for him, and sold to him at wholesale prices.
You will find no account kept there for him, all 10
paid cash aud yet you will hardly find one man
except he be q new hand, who has not a little NC
count Of cash on hand in our private bank, for which
we give him II small interest. payable at the time he
is free again. We never have to complain Of any
stealing. We allow each native 30 lbs. Paiai per
week, and when the weather admits, 4 fishermen so
out, and the catch is equally divided. The Chinese
get the same allowance-as much rice as they can eat
instead Of poi. Vegetables and potatoes they fur
nish themselves, one cook is employed for each
twenty hands, most all keep ducks and pigs, which
they divide equally amongst themselves. The dwell
ings are never less than $50 feet apart, each contain
ing about twenty men. Each house is regularly
white-washel outside AMI inside, and has Il elk foot
veraldah. A water pipe ls laid to each. cleanliness
is the rule, each tenement has "A small lot inclosed,
where the laborers grow, in their leisure time, their
cabbage, salads, turnips. sweet potatoes, bananas. or
whatever they choose, aud in this they vic with one
another who eau raise the best aud the quickest.
Many little comforts are thus secured TO them at 10
expense to the Company, yet easing their lot. An
over-seer has to 90 through every house and its pre-
misses twice a week to see that everything is in order.
and no rubbish accumulated around the houses for
this an open sewer is cut to carry it to the sea.
I, him also any trihing complaints or sickness must
be reported, he reporting the same TO the Office
where it is Immediately attended to. Opium smoking
aud ardent spirits are strictly prohibited ; any case
being reported. the offender suffers the penalty Of
the law. Any sign of leprosy noticed will be attend
ed to by s~ecluding the sufferer until opportunity is
found to ship him where the law demands. Two
cases have appeared during my management. The
Rules and Regulations Of the Company are read in
native and Chinese TO every new employee, aud are
posted in plain large writing on the verandah of the
Pay Office. In this Office, which is above the Bank,
oil sccounts are kept, and from here every order
to the lunas, OF whom there are but few, the men
being conten,el. Ioing their work as well without
watch as with. Tue luna is Us liable to he reported
by any OF the men for being neglected. ia his duties,
(such AS going ol to sleep in a secluded spot) AS be is
to report TO The office any misconduct OF his hands. no
personal punishment by lunns being allowed. Thus
two families, of $50 and $50. are living happily to-
geiher. We pay rom SO to $l2, some s13. and q
few extra good hands, SO per month. aud get oil
the labor we want, simply by fostering a little the
comfort 4 our labOrers.'
have not seen this equalled on any other plan
tatious visited yet, Cuban aud Louisiana plantations
not exceL ted. A school with a competent teacher
has been erected at IA little distance from the mill. at
which there is a regular attendance of about seventy
children. A 6nger-post to heaven "a steeple) shows
that religion is not neglected. 10 many Of the Offices
of other sugar plantations and in the lunas' Offices
nave Scen u U u uhuucuUs Ofnhfncu the walls.
The sacred notices and religious pictures which
grace the walls of this Chinese plantation Office offer
q strange contrast to such n sight. Mr. Lee 10y
showed me half-a-dozen handouts which we're kept
in reserve, and they were as bright as a new dollar
none Of them ever having been needed.
There is a small bell tower by the watchman's
house on the top of which waves the compauy's Gag,
and there is another at the residence OF the man
ager where he flies the Hawaiian flag; thus there
are always signs Of life even when the mill 10 not
running. Sometimes for three or four nights the
mill is going till 10 or ii p. NJ. On these occasions
10 cents per hour, extra pay is given to the labOrers
and an allowance proportional to their salaries to
the other employees, so as to give them double pay.
No coal is used at the mill, only trash which 10
dry in seven days. Wood is also brought down by
the fume. Last seasons product was 1900 tons,
and with the addition of the Hew crop il is expected
to be l 300 this year. Sugars Nos. l, 2, and 8, are
manufactured and fetched last year at the rate Of ~
per cent.
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