The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-31

lation of a memorial presented to the Japa- |
nese Consul:
"PAIA, August 20, 1885.
''To Nakamura, Esq, japanese Consul:
On behalf Of the japanese here we petition
to you, although we have presented many
times petitions for the same matter, that
the quarters where we live are improper
and insufficient; that the water to drink is
of very bad quality; therefore many OF US
are sick always, and the treatments OF this
plantation are very bad.
''For these reasons our lives are very
doubtful if we stay longer on this plantation.
Then we wish heartily to be removed from
here to Honolulu as soon as possible.
This was signed by three Japanese, and
was accepted by the Consul as the Will OF
all. But the Hamakuapoko plantation
hands were equally dissatisfied, as the fol-
lowing complaint, addressed to the Board OF
immigration, signed by forty-fve Japanese
laborers, will show. It was transmitted to
the President of the Board of Health
through the japanese Consul, and dated
"Hamakaupoko, July IS, 1885," 1t says:
''YOur petitioners humbly represent to
Your Excellency that, through causes
beyond their control, they are often pros
trated by sickness, and that the medical at
tendance furnished to them is not of a char
acter skillful enough to afford them relief
consequently they fear to become permanent
invalids, incapacitated from earning their
living, and that, growing more and more
i'll, they will meet with their deaths. They
therefore would pray that they be at once
removed to some other planta tion
"They also beg Your Excellency to re-
ceive their complaint that the managers, the
lunas, and all others employed as overseers
on the plantation, treat them with never
ceasing harshness, dealing out to them both
kickings and blows; that they are driven to
work overtime, no compensation being al
lowed to them for so doing; that their
health and strength are failing them through
the ills they suffering from, and that
they no longer receive sustenance from the
food they eat.
''For what is hereinabove stated in the
first place, they humbly petition for re-
mOval to another plantation, and for what,
in the second place, they demand redress
and pecuniary compensation
As in the case of the Paia plantation, the
petition from Hamakuapoko to the Board
of immigration was followed by letter to
the Japanese Consul. 1t is as under:
HAMAKUAPoKo, August 81, 1886.
"To Nakamuru, Esq, Japanese Consul,
| Honolulu: On behalt of the Japanese here,
petition to you that we all shall be re-
moved from this plantation as soon as pos
sible, for many of us are sick on account of
very bad trea tment, and our lives are very
uncertain if we are obliged to stay here any
longer. Therefore, we beg for quick re-
mOval by your great favor to Honolulu
Here follow two signatures.
The President of the Board of Immigra-
ton inclossd copies of these memorials to
Mr.. Baldwin, and a short correspondence
ensued. This gentleman stated that Mr..
Walsh had promised the japanese 81 a
month extra s'when they do well,'' also
some other privileges. He adds: ' More
over, they must be satiied by this time that
they will be treated with great leniency.''
He also requested that the Paia laborers be
asked whether they wished to be removed
before taking such step. To this it was
replied by the President of the Board of I'm
migration that the second request for re-
mOval was made after the alleged improve
ments had taken place, and that further in
quiry could do no good. Mr.. Baldwin wrote
on the 9th of August denying the allegation
in the petition to the effect that the men on
the HamakuapokO plantation had been sub
jected to never-ceasing kickings, etc. To
the best of his belief this was totally untrue
There had not been any harshness for several
months. Mr.. Austin further explained that
one of the men signing the petition belonged
to different tribe from the majority and
doubtless wanted to get among his friends.
About eleven would follow him; but there
were thirty-four who would have nothing to
do with him.
This ended the correspon dence, and the
President of the Board of immigration
ordered the removal of the Japanese laborers /
from the Paia plantation, which was done, |
the party arriving in HonoIu as above I
stated, on Saturday.
AS mute but forcible co mmentary upon |
the foregoing narrative, which keeps far
within bounds when dealing with the treat
ment of Japanese laborers on Paia planta-
ton, we annex the following health sta
tistics:
Assigned to Hamakuapoko plan tation-5O
men, 16 women, IS children; total 70. In
complete vital returns.
Assigned to Paia plantation-5o men, Z
women, children; total 81.
Returned to immigration Depot from Paia
last Saturday-36 men, women, children;
total A; leaving IS to be accounted for.
This accounting is done as under:
Died at Paia, 4 men; died in hospital at
Honolulu, man; at present in hospital in
Honolulu, z men; in hospital at Wailuku, 1
man, 2 women, children; returned to
Japan, 1 man. Thus the missing - are ac-
The total deaths reported at the Japanese
Consulate are II adults and 8 children,
making in all II. OF the Il adult deaths
belonged to the Paia and Hamakuapoko
plantations. This fact is grave comment
On the management of immigrant labor
upon these plantations.