The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-01-29

has already explained in the Legislative Council
that he cannot sanction any Chinese Emigration
whatever to Peru. or any Chinese Emigration in
yolving contracts of service to the Sandwich
lslands.-I have, &C.,
(Signed) c. May,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.
(Ertrdct.)
ITO obviate any misconception as to the
grounds His Excellency has had in refusing his
sanction to the continuance of this Emigration.
l am instructed to furnish you with the enclosed
extracts from a statement made by His Excellency
at the Tung-wa Hospital in February 1873, and
from correspondence on the subject.-I have, &c,
(Signed) c. MAY,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Extract from Speech of His ExcelIency Governor
Pope Henuessy, e. NJ. G.. at the Tung Wa
Hospital, 9th February, 1878.
MANY years ago, the attention of the Govern
ment was directed TO a scandal, which also at
tracted the notice of my gallant friend, Admiral
Hillyar. the evils of the coolie trade, and one of
my predecessors called the attention of the Secre-
tary of State to the facts that the communication
from the Tung Wa Hospital were those which
gave him the first intimation of the evils prepetrat-
ed in that trade. While the Government of that
day had to thank the Committee of the Tung Wa
Hospital, it is my duty now publicly to do the
same. 1t is not many weeks since you drew the
III VI TIC 0OtCEllLlcHt = tudI nulCu uu-
doubtedly was Il grave abuse. You brought to
my notice the fact that it was the practice to
issue tickets to Chinese Emigrants in this Colony
for a certain sum Of money the tickets purport-
ed that the sum was paid in full, whereas. as
you pointed out, in reality but a very small sum
was paid, and the emigrant was expected to bind
himself for so long a period as two years. to work
off his passage, in the sugar plantations of the
Sandwich Islands. That was an infractIon of
our law. 1t was you who drew our attention to
it, and it is my public duty to thank you, as l
now do, for the valuable information you thus
conveyed to the Government"
Extract from Letter dated Honolulu, July (l878),
from Her Majesty's Consul-General, James Ii.
Wodehouse. to Governor Pope Hennessy,
G. NJ. G.
With reference to the enforcement of service
alluded to by Yonr Excellency. the following ap-
| pears to be q true statement of the course pursued
on the arrival of a vessel with Chinese immi-
grants =
The agent of the Hawaiian Government before
whom above contracts for service under the Mas
ter and Servants Law can be made, goes on board
with an interpreter; the immigrants who have
had their passage money advanced to them by
Chinese firms in Honolulu, sign a contract for
service with some employer of labour for two
years, receiving in advance the sum of sixty
dollars, of which f~orty-fve is for their passage.
No contract is sanctioned by the Hawaiian Agent
unless agreed to by the immigrant but the lat
ter understands, as it appears from the statement
made before Captain Thompsett, that on his
arrival at Honolulu he will be required to enter
into an agreement to serve for "a sufficient length
of time to enable him to pay off his debts.
IF the immigrant were allowed to land before
paying his passage, the charterer, or person who
advanced the money for ii, would be unable to re-
cover the amount, as the laws OF these Islands do
not allow of arrest for debt.
No contract is valid unless made before an
o0ant of the Hawaiian GOvarnmonk in this
Kingdom.
It was formerly the practice Of the Hawaiian
Government to guarantee the passages of immi-
grants, but it was found that the men took ad-
vantage of this and refused TO refund the money.
1t was then decided to send a well-knownN and
respectable Chinese merchant from this city to
engage men. who are much wanted for the de
velopment of the resources OF these Islands
Extract from letter dated 30th August. 1873 from
His ExcelIency Governor Pope Hennessy,
G. NJ. G., to Her Majesty's Consul-General at
the Sandwich Islands, Mr.. James H.. Wode-
house.
The authenticated facts stated in the latter
part of your letter show that the emigration in
question is, in reality, contract emigration, and
under Rule 4 of the Emigration Regulations of
Hongkong. such Emigration is not permitted
except to British Colonies.
Extract from Despatch dated LIST November, 1873,
from the Right Honorable Sir Michael Hicks
Beach, Bart, to Governor Pope Hennessy,
G. M. @.
81 fully appreciate your anxiety to detect and
prevent any abuses, and l think that there were
good grounds for refusing to sanction the con-
tinuance OF Chinese Emigration to Honolulu,
when the Chairman of the Tung-wa Hospital
directed your attention to the procedure which
was being followed in the Islands after the arri-
val of the Emigrants.
90 shall readily support and assist you in
YOUR efforts in this direction