The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1884-12-16

JAPANESE IMMIGRATION.

The fact which we announced two
or three weeks ago that the first
shipment of Japanese Immigrant
laborers could not be expected TO
leave T0kio before the month of Jan
uary is naturally 3 cause of great dis
appointment to all concerned. There
is no reason however why it should
awaken any doubt (as it seems TO
have done in some quarters OF Mr..
IrWin's truthfulness in the represen-
tatiOns he made when he was here as
to his ability to secure these immi-
grants. Still less ought it to be taken
by the Imperial Japanese Govern
ment from the promises made to Col.
Iaukea when he was at Toxic. Some
paragraphs in American papers show
ing that British Columbia and Brit
ish Guinea are seeking similar privi-
leges to those which have been ac-
corded to Hawaii have been made
the subject of comment as If they in
dicated that the matter was still un-
settled automatically between this
country and Japan. There is no such
cause for the delay in the arrival of
laborers, and nothing could on the
face of things be more improbable
than that the Japanese Government
would break faith in regard to a con-
cession made voluntarily aud as an
act of grace and evidence of friend
ship.
The first delay in the arrangements
must be laid on the shoulders of our.
own Legislative Assembly, which
kept Mr.. Irwin here awaiting their
decision on the subject for an uncon-
sciOnable time. If those members of
the Legislature who are interested in
sugar planting had been as alive to
the need of haste in May last as they
became in October it is possible that
more than one shipload of japanese
laborers would have been here by
this time. It was the end of August
before Mr.. Irwin got back to Toxic,
with all the work of organizing the
emigration scheme before him. Never
theless so readily was the assistance
of the Japanese Government extend
ed to him and so favorable were the
accounts he obtained from the cOun-
try districts that within a fortnight
of his arrival he felt so sure of being
able to start early in November with
at least 600 emigrants that he wrote
to friend in Honolulu requesting him
to secure suitable apartments for him
self and his family for the middle
of that month. His advices to the
Government, as made known by Mr..
Gibson to the Planters Labor and
Supply Company at the time, were
of the same tenor. A totally unfore-
seen incident appears to have discOn-
certed his plans. The work of re-
cruiting in the country districts must
necessarily be done under the surveil-
lance of the various provincial Gov
ernors. Moreover the Imperial Gov
ernment arranged with Mr.. Irwin
that the Governors and local Magis-
trates should themselves announce to
the agricultural laborers the conces-
sions that had been granted to Ha-
waii and the terms offered by the
Hawaiian Government to emigrants.
Such an official announcement was
no doubt of vital Importance to the
success of the scheme, and must,
under any circumstances be an enOr-
nous help to it. Just as this had been
other circumstances led the
Emperor to summon all the Govern
ors Of Provinces to Toxic. Their pres
ence there would not be dispensed with
until Goth November. Whilst there
they were all interviewed officially by
MI. Irwin. Knowing the interest felt in