The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-03-24
" CONTRACT LABOR

English column, returns 70 the
worn out and dishonest trick of
calling contract labor Is coolie-
slavery. planters Is mans1ealers,
kidknapperS slave-owners, etc,
etc. and the Courts Of the King
dom Is accomplices in crime.
As long rs this rubbish is con
6ned to the English language 1t
can do little harm, for those who
read It here being for the most part
reasonably intelligent and we'll
informed on the subject are not like
lyto be influenced, and IL Is scarce
" possible that the paper is read
abroad. though possibly some
foreign paper in want Of Z sensa-
tion might soil = pair Of scissors
over IL
It appears that Il recent ses-
sion Of the Kauai Circuit Court, 8
doctor sued . planter for medical
services rendered TO : japanese Is
borer contracted TO the planter,
snd the plaintiffs attorney took =
nonsuit on the showing that the
obligation on the employer was in
formal or incomplete, and so no
liability TO provide medical attend
ance was proved against the en-
ployer. On this peg IS hung all the
vocabulary Of abuse customary to
such papers under such eircum-
stances.
After stating that comment is
superfuous." the commentator sr-
rives 81 the conclusion that the en-
p.oyer can command the services
Of bis assigned japanese Iaborer
apparently without ineurring any
liability TO provide medical attend
anee- 1t IS so apparently in this
case, but we claim that this is of
necessity 5 very rare and wholly
accidental case. If the contract
vas unsigned, if II in fact were so
informal snd incomplete SIS 10 re-
leSse one party 70 the contract from
any or all the conditions under
stood, II must have Just SO far re-
leased the ether party as we'll
The employer himself IS the party
most liable 70 injury from 9 con-
tract which proves 10 be not bind-
ing. 4 case Of this kind must Of
necessity b N accident. an over
sight, for no one would willingly
trust the saving Of his crop 70 :
number Of lab0rers bound 70 hIm
by nothing but an unsigned con
-raet. Moreover, where was the
japanese Inspectors They gener-
ally, IS they are bound 10 do, take
good care Of the interests Of their
countrymen- But now comes this
psper and states that Iii Is well
known that the terms Of the con-
tracts are not adhered 10 by the
masters, the men are transferred
ike esttle from one slaYe-owner TO
another. and that they may be I'M
prisoned fer life Tor refusing 10
work. and the lower courts are
daily engaged N f0ing and impris
oninE l2borers. much 10 the s@tiS- (
faction Of The planters. The re
sponsible editor Of the paper IN /
which these mlss.atements occur Z
I'VE can hardly say are cinculatedl ,
Is supposed u be something in the /
way of lawyer. aud probably the /
writer Of this particular editorial 4
from which We have quoted may I
be much such another. 50 We viii |
zsk iu al good faith how many /
criminals must b Seting IN coilu- /
son Inspectors. employers, lun@s, /
witnesses. Judges and @ll before one
such case - Is pronounced 10 be 50 /
common. could possibly be brought /
about
Whzs the Kzuai trial reSlly does
show : thzt the contract Iaborer
: vel cared for. In despite Of |
e2relessness Of the employer and !
those who shoald have Watched /
over the interests Of the Isborer
be had his medical treatment and /
i Vas the doctor who wSs out of /
rocket. and the law does not call
upon the I2borer patient TO pay the |
blu- There were over s thOassnd 1
contracted immigrants landed here