The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1886-10-19
THE PLANTERS CONVENTION.

THE PLANTERS CONVENTION.
Annual Meeting OF the Planter
Labor and supply Company.
Yesterday morning at 10 o'clock the
Planters Labor and Supply Co. met at
the Chambers of Commerce, Campbelrs
block. Hon. S. b. Dole, President,
took the chair and Hon. l., A. Thurs
ton, Secretary, called the roll, which
showed the following shareholders
represented: A. N. Baldwin, S. G..
Alexander, ]. B. Anterior, H. p. Bald
win, Beecroft Plantation, L. c. Bond,
{. M. Cooke, B, f. Dillingham;, S. b.
Dole, Grove Ranch Plantation, Ha-
waiian Agricultural Company, Hitch
cock & Co, R. Halstead, Honomu
Plantation, ]. M. Horner, w. Y.
Homer, Haiku Sugar Co., P. Isenberg,
7. {. Jones, Kaneohe Plantation, Ki-
auea Sugar Co., Kohala Sugar Co.,
Kipahulu Mill, Kipahulu Plantation,
W. Lidgate & Co., Makee Sugar Co.,
r. A. Macfe, Jr, Princevile Planta-
ton, Pacific Sugar Mill Co,
W. ii. Purvis & Co., Richard, A..
Fl. Smith & Co., w. o. Smith,
A. Fl. Smith, Z. S. Spalding, f A.
Schaefer, ]. G. Spencer, G. N. Wilcox,
A. S. Wilcox, Waikiki Sugar Co, Wal
akea Mill Co., r. r. Walker, Andrew
Welsh
THE sEcRETARYS REPORT
The Secretary read his annual report.
After giving list OF the Trustees
and officers elected last year, it pro-
ceeded with an account OF the years
operations, as follows:-
The Trustees have held five meetings
during the year.
IMMIGRATION AND LABOR.
During sthe year ending October,
1885, immigrant laborers were brought
into the country to the number of
1874, consisting Of Portuguese O.,
japanese 1898, and South Sea Island
ers 70. This was in addition to women
and children.
The following is a statement of ar.
rivals Of immigrants since the last an
nual meeting:-
March 2, 1886 BY Sterlingshire,
Portuguese, men I4S, women 90, chill
dren 1872. Total 439.
February 4, I8S6-By City of Pekin,
japanese, men 69o, women 22S. Total
oI8.
September, IS86-By Amana, Por-
tuguese, men I46, women no, chill
dren s3o. Total sol.
Total Portuguese, men 294, women
2I5, children 431.
Total Japanese men, 6oo,
Total new laborers for the year, oS4.
Total new laborers for two years
past, 2,7IS.
No South Sea Island immigrants
have been obtained during the year, the
last attempt OF the Hazard two years
ago having met with such poor success.
The brig Allie Rowe is now on trip
to the South with orders for 200. The
South Sea Islanders are obtained at
lower wages than either Japanese or
Portuguese, but it is doubtful policy to
obtain them, as almost without excep
ton they return home upon the expi
ration of their contracts, the expense
of getting them here thereby becoming
dead loss. AS none of the Japanese
contracts have yet expired, we cannot
say what they will do, but it is probable
that large proportion of them will re
main in the country. The Portuguese
have shown that, in the main, they will
make a permanent population, but {
small proportion Of the whole number
brought here having gone to California
and the reports from those who have
gone there are that they regret the
change, and would be glad to get back
There is no doubt that the expense
of obtaining Japanese at SIS each, anc
Portuguese at $Ioo each, is very much
more than is necessary. Those figures
have given the introducers of thu
laborers a much wider margin of prof
than the planters can afford to pay, anC
there is no reason why the figure
should not be very much reduced il
/, the future.
The obtaining of laborers during thu
coming year is question of the great
! est importance. The position of thu
Government with relation to the sub
ject is doubtful. Sometime ago it wa
announced that the Government woulC
not undertake to introduce any more
laborers for the present. Since tina
a partial change Of administration ha
takenplace, and an item of $500, 900
for immigration purposes has beef
placed in the loan bill 1t is, however
optional with the Government to Dor
row the money and expend it for thi
purpose, and no further declaration o
policy has been made since that abov,
mentioned.
Meanwhile the available plantation
laborers already here are growing les
in number by reason OF departure ant
engaging ia other occupations, and thu
necessity for new supply will soon be
Gonna ,troapt