The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-03-16
rnnraa5 Supplemental

coolies were introduced into Bombay
itself. On this subject of wages an
authoritative work published in Dema-
rara, says,
Vide Prize Essays on Agricultural
Subjects, printed by order of the Royal
Agricultural Society of British Guiana,
Page go: CAS- to wages, we have al
ready mentioned that shilling day
is the minimum sum that the Guiana
government on behalf of the planter
guarantees the immigrant for his work.
But the latter cannot be forced to work
during all the hours prescribed by law
fer this fixed sum. The law presumes
that by working six hours in the field
or seven in the building a man will
have fairly earned his shilling, and d.
reefs that he shall receive it. But the
planter is bound to pay him at least as
much as he pays unindentured labor
ers for the same description of work,
and as labor is scarce, the rate of pay
is high. A good field laborer can,
without over exertion, earn two shil-
lings a day at all descriptions of work,
and can command higher price at
those which require little extra skill
or experience. 1t is no exaggeration
to say that an able bodied agricultural
laborer can, if he works hard with his
shovel for six hours during five days
in the week, earn from two-and-a-half
to four dollars, (ten to sixteen shil-
lings.)"
On the same subject, In the Report
Of Her Maiesty's Colonial Land and
Emigration Commissions for 1876,
kindly furnished me by Sir Stephen
Wolcott, G. NJ. G., one of the Com
missioners, 1 find it stated as one of
the principles governing Indian emf
grafton that the aOdges are to be the same
as paid to uniadentured Iaborers on the
same estate and In the same report
they say, referring to the West Indies,
Hide Colonization Circular, issued
by Her Majesty's Colonial Land and
Emigration Commissions, 1877, Page
247 Agricultural laborers almost
invariably work by the task, the usual
pay for which varies according to cir
cumstances from one shilling to three
shillings per day. An able-bodied and
industrious laborer can earn from two
to three shillings as cents) per day,
and these amounts are actually earned
by Creoles of African descent and by
the more powerful Chinese and East
Indian immigrants. "
Of the quality Of the laborer, I have
never been satisfied that it was equal
to what this country has been accus-
toned to, or would adapt itself readily
to our system. The most favorable
estimate 1 have ever received regard
ing the East Indian coolie was that
three of them were equal to two
Chinese or Africans, and that it re-
quired special tact and patience to
bring them even to this standard. In
the essays to which I have alluded tits
said,
vide Prize Essays, Page g.: "The
disinclination for work is so strong In
these men as to induce them to prac-
tice alternatives which are simply in
credible to Europeans. Many will
keep painful sores open for weeks in
order to prolong their stay in the Hos
pital as soon as they are cured and
discharged they will start another by |
means of rusty nail OF something of
that kind. Some will purposely eat
food especially prohibited by the doc
tor, to ensure prolonged enjoyment of |
the Hospital, although it be accom-
panied by loathsome and painful ILL |
ness. The East Indian mind, or to
speak more correctly, the mind of that
class of East Indians which furnishes |
immigrants, has. for ages looked upon
poverty, disease and dirt as marks of
high caste piety, and regards the Civ
ing of aims to persons practicing these |
habits as a most meritori- |
Gus action"
Again =
vide Prize Essays, Page A: "The
Hindoo, who in his own country is
the most sober of men, becomes in
British Guiana infected with the pre-
vailing love of rum, and may be seen
reeling about, yelling in his frenzied
excitement, or lying like log by the
roadside in state Of drunken stupor.
The debauch of Sunday is followed by
its natural reaction, so that on Monday
the unhappy votary of drink is most |.
to exert himself. On the
other hand there are some well-con-
Quoted immigrants, who make rule
of fasting every Sunday, and owing to
this unnatural abstention from food the
devotee is often on Monday as unfit for
work as his debauched brother"
y Again =
Vide Prize Essays, Page 90: zone
of the worst enemies to the coohe is
the village lawyer; the native of India
has natural love of litigation and a
readiness to complain about trifes.
Again =
Vsde Prize Essays, Page So: "The
Asiatics never seem to be content with
leaving case to its own merits F; it al
WAYS appears to them necessary to en-
beilish it with quantity of collateral
falsekoods, &c.
Again =