The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-12

of men who come to this country
in the hope of thereby lettering
their condition, should be studied
by those with whom they are
brought into contract as employers.
Peculiarities of race require con-
sideration. For instance, it must
be evident to all who have had
occasion to employ the japanese
that they are eminently teachable
race and that at the same time it
is only by kind and just treat
ment that they can be successfully
dealt with. Such treatment is in
deed essential to success in the
management of immigrant foreign
laborers generally. In view of this
fact it is well that the bases of the
agreements which exist between
His Majesty's Government and the
several Governments interested in
this subject, should be clearly I'M
derstood by all employers of labor
ers who are serving under original
contracts with the Board of Immi-
grafton.
The understanding with the Jap
anese Government is that while
| the immigrants remain under their
original contracts they are to be
under the immediate guardianship
of the Government, and that the
planters to whom their contracts
are assigned are the agents of the
Government, the latter being really
responsible on the original con-
tracts at all points. This provision,
which is but definite and legal
definition of the contents Of the
contracts themselves, will apply
equally to Portuguese and all other
laborers who are performing their
original terms of service under con-
tracts to which the Board is a
party.
From this understanding it fol-
lows that on the Government rests
the duty of enquiring into, and en-
deavoring to settle in an amicable
manner, all complaints and differ
ences that may arise between the
actual employer and the laborer.
To ensure the fulfillment of this
duty, the Government has decided
to establish under the Board of
immigration Special Commission
of Inspection of Japanese laborers,
(of which Mr.. Nakayama is at
present the chief also a Special
Inspection of Portuguese and
others, the whole system being
under the direction of an Inspector
General, who will receive his orders
from the Board of immigration.
Under this arrangement the Gov
eminent will be able to place In
spectors land Interpreters on the
principal Islands.
To these Commissions of Inspec-
ton, all complaints on the part of
employers of immigrant laborers
are to be made. The laborers
themselves will be instructed Gas
the Japanese have already been)
to make any complaints they may
have to these Inspectors rather
than to the representatives of their
own Government, the two fold aim
being to obviate the necessity of
the several representatives making
official complaints and also to
secure the prompt settlement of all
disputes that may arise between
employers and employed without
need of reference to the Courts of
Law.
1t is indeed fully understood
that the actual employers of immi-
grants brought here by the Govern
ment being virtually agents of the
Government, arrests for breach of
service contracts are not to be made
without the concurrence of the
Board of immigration. The Gov
eminent has confidence that in
almost all cases the action of the
several Commissions of Inspection
will render such arrests unnec-
essary.
It has further been distinctly
considered and determined by the
Government, that no employer or
overseer (Iuna) shall be permitted,
under any circumstances, Except
in self-defense) to strike or lay
hands upon any contract 1aborer
who is recognized as Government
ward. This determination is made
binding by agreements to this
effect, actually entered into and
it is rendered all the more impor-
tant when considered in the light
of the sensitive nature of the Jap
anese race, in particular, which
renders any rough-handhng of the
laborer abortive, if intended to
secure obedience. 1t must there
fore be understood by all employers
that blows or other violence used
against contract laborer, except
in absolute self-defense, will be
. deemed sufficient ground for the
withdrawal of the assignment made
to them of any person so dealt