The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-09-01
The Passenger Hospital Tax.


Mr.. EDITOR: A good deal has been
said, pro and con, about the passenger
hospital tax, and many, without know
ing all the facts, speak of it as an out
rageous imposition on strangers Visitin g
the Islands. Now, what are the facts |?
The COllector-General reports having
collected $6,5O2 in 1886, and 81, 052 in
1887 from passengers Presidents as well
as strangers), arriving here from foreign
countries. The receipts from this tax
were formerly voted by the Legislature
to the Queens Hospital, established for
the benefit of Hawaiians and foreigners.
Oflate years the Legislature has directed
that So 900 of the biennial receipts be
diStri buted pro rata among the following
named benevolent sOcieties-the British,
American, German, Portuguese, Chinese
and Strangers Friend Society, the bal
ance going toward the support of the
Queens Hospital These are all char
liable institutions maintained here to
assist strangers who may need temper
airy assistance. But the funds thus OBJ
tanned by these societies from this source
do not meet all the demands on them !;
and, as is we'll known, the deficiency is
made up by voluntary contributions
from our citizens. The doors of the
Queens Hospital are open to. all
strangers applying through either OF the
societies named at a reduced charge,
borne by the society sending them to
the hospital and many can bear testi-
mony to the relief Of hundreds and
thousands of sick and destitute strangers
in strange land, from the avails of this
much maligned hospital tax.
Abolish the hospital tax, and the en-
tire expense of supporting destitute
strangers among us will be thrown on
the citizens of Honolulu, amounting to
not less than $4,000 biennially. Is this
Just? While they are willing to do their
share, and while residents returning
from abroad pay at least One-third OF
the whole hospital tax collected, can it
be called an injustice to require that
foreigners arriving here shall assist in
the expense of supporting their own sick
and destitute cOuntrymen among us and
who have no lawful claim on US?
In New York City, two free hospitals
are maintained entirely from the pas
senger hospital tax of fifty cents imposed
by law on all passengers arriving from
foreign ports. In Montreal and
Quebec, hospitals are also main
tanned, where all applicants are
treated and cared for without charge.
We have not arrived at the point
where free hospitals can be maintained
by the Government, for the benefit of
strangers, as is the case in some Euro
pean cities. But we have here such an
institution, supported in part by the
Government, and in part from this pas
senger tax and other sources, which is
as well kept and differed as any institu-
ton of it's class in other countries, where
sick and disabled strangers can find
good accommodations, nurses and skill
full medical advice and treatment, at
very moderate charge. While this in
stitutiOn is credit to Hawaii, it is also
a credit to those who share in it's sup
port, by payment of the hospital tax or
by voluntary contributions.
Under these circumstances, perhaps
the best thing to be done to provide for
the care of destitute strangers among us
is to continue the present system of
mutual aid and cooperation. Surely no
reasonable traveller will object to con-
tribute his share to the general relief
fund, when he learns that the facts are
as herein stated, that the fund is judici-
ously spent, and that his own country
men share in the benefits derived from
it. Pro Bono PUBLICo.
Honolulu, August 81, 1888.