The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-07-21
THE BOWLER CLAIMS.

mittee of the Legislature, cannot
fail to convince any just man OF
their equity. We have taken the
pains to investigate, and here give
the result for the information of the
public. The claims consist of mon
eys owing for work done on the
walls and gates of the Palace yard,
work done in connection with the
electric light plant in the Palace
yard, and for losses incurred by
breach of contract in connection
with the return of South Sea ISL
anders TO their homes and annul-
ment of authority TO recruit for
laborers.
Tenders were publicly invited for
certain work on the Government
property known as the wall and
gates of the Palace yard. John
Bowler made an offer to do the work
according to specifications, for the
sum of $1,000. He received on Janu-
AIRY 20, 1887, from the then Minis
ter of the Interior, l.. Aholo, a noti-
iication of the acceptance of the ten
der. 1t was stipulated that the
$1,000 should be payable on the first
day Of February, 1889. The con-
tract was proceeded with aud COM
pleted according to specifications.
On the 18th May, 1887, the work
was examined and passed, and
voucher for the same duly approved,
by the proper authorities. The
stipulated sum OF $1,000, not a cent
of which has been paid, is now over
due nearly a year and half, and
interest for that period has to be
added.
In the matter of the electric light
claim, John Bowler entered into an
agreement, in March, 1887, with
the then Minister of Interior, l..
Aholo, TO perform certain work and
erect certain buildings in the Palace
yard. the same being the property
of the Government, connected with
an electric light plant. The agree
ment was entered into in good faith,
and the work was faithfully per-
formed according TO contract. The
money WAS to have been paid On the
completion of the work, but has not
been, nor any portion thereof, to
the present time. The charges
we're and are admitted to be moder-
ate and reasonable. The original
bill was SlG12, TO which is now
added three years interest.
The bark kalakaua mattcris more
complicated, and for clear under
standing thereof it should be under
stood that several years ago con-
siderable numbers of laborers were
brought from various islands Of the
South Seas, to meet the requirements
OF our sugar plantations. These
laborers came with the promise that
they should be returned to their
homes, if they so desired, at the ex-
pirati0n of the terms of their en-
gagcmcnt. During the first half OF
the year 1887 many of these labor
ers completed their stipulated term
of service, and came to Honolulu
from other parts of the kingdom, to
he taken back to their homes. Over
three hundred had come here for
that purpose. With the understand
ing that he should have the contract
10 take them back, and authority TO
recruit for new laborers, Mr.. Bowler
purchased tue bark Kalakaua, and
at considerable expense fitted her
up for the voyage. In the month
of June of that year he entered into q
regular agreement with the then Min
lister of Interior and President of the
Board of immigration TO perform
the services namcd--agreeing ia
take TO their respective homes the
islanders at $50 per capita and re-
ceiving authority to recruit. Before
the vessel had started q change OF
Ministry occurred, aad the new Ad-
ministration repudiated the contract
and withdrew the authority to re-
cruit. The consequences to the
owner of the vessel we're disastrous.
Purchased and fitted out in good
faith for a purpose promiseful OF
profit, on the breach of agreement
by the Government the bark Kala-
kaua became burden, a bill of ex-
pense, and heavy financial loss.