The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-11-20
Apropos of immigration.

To the Editor of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser.
SR,-Mr. Carter informs the Board of ~Immigrs-
ton that there is only S 1000 left of the S1OO,OOO-
What has become of all the 90, 0002 How has it
been spentR Since the passing of the appropriation
bill. the Pomars was purchased, and fitted out at a
cost of something like $40, 900 all together. it was
represented by Government officials at the time that
she only cost about $13, 900, however, let that pass
take it at its proper figure $4,000. Now the Hawaii
has had two fittings out which could not possibly ex-
coed the SUN of $15.0 900 (from details of a most ex-
perienced erpert), and the Storm Bird has had one
fitting out, which might possibly cost $4,000,
making a total of $39. 900 spent in fitting out the
three vessels since the Board have had the handling
of the new appropriation. Now we have had the
bark Hawaii back on two occasions, bringing in ell
about $50 people (Which is the number she should
bring in one trip). and we have had the Storm Bird
in once with about 90. making q total of about, say,
$50 souls which, valued at $50 per head, should
give the Board of Immigration a credit of say $22,-
900. Now deduct $4,000 from the cost of fitting out
this Hawaiian feet, viz. $4,000, and it leaves q
balance of about ST. 900 which is the amount that
can only have been spent since last April. The
Board should have now at least have $4,000 in
hand. A large amount has no doubt been pledged
for Portuguese Immigration but surely not all this
balance.
Now we were informed by ex- Minister Wilder that
the Immigrants Cup to the time of his addressing the
house at that time), only cost the Government $40
per head, but he did not tell the members that they
cost the planters $50 as well, making the cost of
each immigrant under the Freeman expedition. $96
per head. Perhaps some of our present biennial
appropriation has been spent in paying of this score.
will not make any comments upon what hap
pened during the II months Of the Wilder admins
tration amongst the South Sea Islands, enough is
sufficiently known already by the public of Homo
lulu. to dissatisfy them and had it not been for the
action taken by the British and French officials, it is
very probable that the same might have been still
carried on; and the Hawaiian Government vessels
would have stamped their reputation in the South
Seas as "kidnappers.'' The first three voyages of
the Stormbird were IN every way a success, and ap.
pear to have been conducted in a proper and econo-
mical way. The Captain had only one mate and
these two officers did all the work. returning each
voyage with q full complement. The second voyage
the Captain brought as many as ia people in his
little ~Stormblrd. Gas many as the big Hawaii brought
last trip.) They had no highly paid Government
Agent to trammel their actions, or interfere with
their labours, and the work was done well. But the
Minister of the day wanted more than things being
done well. An inexperienced Agent was appointed
at a large salary $3.50 per month I believe). and
with most extraordinary powers, and what was the
result? The Captain of the Storm bird resigned his
position, and since then the whole thing has been Q
failure with very wretched results. 1 cannot ask
you to publish all l know, much as I should wish to
see it before the public; some of the facts are very I'M
pleasant. We formerly had detailed reports of the
voyages which were published and read with great
interest by your readers but for a long time we have
been allowed to know nothing. but still we find out
a good many things. One question which | shou Id
like to ask the members of the Board of immigration
before 1 close is-Did Mr.. Wilder ever inform them
of the report which he had received from Captain
Jackson up to the time of his ~resigning his position
in the Storm Bird? II not | am at liberty to say
that a duplicate still exists, and contains some curl
Gus revelations of the Storm Birds fourth voyage
under the Freeman ADMINISTRATION. 1t would solve
the mystery of much money being wasted, and
why we do not get immigrants now as readily as
heretofore. am Sir, &c.,