The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-10-18

ment chartered the kalakaua few
days after this, a change OF Government
having taken place, the new Admins
tra'ion refused 10 acknowledge what had
been done by their predecessors, and
repudiated the whole business Now.
as regards what Mr.. Bowler was entitled
to, although the late Minister OF Interior
says that there were only fifty or sixty
OF these people here, your committee
had evidence that there were between
800 and 400. The present Minister of
Interior testified that there were lao in
the barracks, and that he had shipped
up from Kauai eighty, making go, and
that he had received instructions from
the Government to make tour OF the
Kingdom and gather up all these labor
ers whose contracts had expired. That
he had only just commenced when the
new Administration come in. So We
believe that $50 was only reasonable
number Of passengers that he might
have taken. Mr.. Bowler was told when
his contract was broken that he might
% to the Planters Labor and Supply
Company to make contract for return
ing these people. By the records OF the
Interior office, l.. 4. Thurston was Secre-
tary of the Company. | have here a
blank contract, which is a sample of
those entered into between the laborer
and the Board OF immigration, in which
it says tina. the Board agree TO give the
immigrant free passage 10 his home at
the expiration OF the contract, should he
so desire. 1t has been said that there
was no appropriation to pay this claim
from, but | find an appropriation OF
$l50,000. Now as regards recruiting,
Mr.. 5. e. Wilder and Mr.. Bowler heard
that there were number OF people on
an island down there who wished TO
come here, and tins was the prime mo-
tive for going into the transaction. There
was supposed to be about 400 people
there. Now, at that time, South Sea
Islanders were worth $l05 per head, and
we estimated that $50 of these people
could be procured which would yield
profit of $50 per head, or on $50 people
$3.50. Some people may object to
this amount, but as the petition asked
for damages Sl2 500, your committee
agreed to throw out the damages, and
allow the amount this way.
Noble Phillips reviewed the different
items at length, and, in conclusion. said
that he should vote for the full claim of
Mr.. Bowler, in his petition to the Legis-
lature, VIZ, S49, 2lS.4
Noble Widemann said the late Minis
ter's excuse was with regard to not pay
ing the claim for the electric light plant,
because it was private property. Any
lawyer who finds such a reason is
shyster. The work on the Palace gates
was ordered by the Minister, and there
was contract. He called attention to
an illegal contract which the late Min
lister made with certain parties (the Vol
cano item). These two claims were just
ones for work done and performed. He
would reserve himself on the third
item.
Noble Macfarlane spoke OF the arbi-
trary action of the late Minister of
the Interior in refusing to pay these
claims. With regard to the new Gus
tom House building, Mr.. Thurston
has done the very same thing that
he said the late Minister (Aholo) should
not have done.
Rep. White said there was nothing
very hard to understand in the report.
Mr.. Bowler had been oppressed and kept
out of his money. We should be con-
sistent; the Government has got the
benefit of the work.
Rep. Rickard-I do not think the
House has time this afternoon to give
the matter full consideration. | move
we adjourn.
At 4 o'clock the House adjourned.