The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-12-08
the LEPER SETTLEMENT.

on the present system and manage
ment may not be out of place at this
time.
They are offered in the interests of
the unfortunates who are isolated
from the community at large under
circumstances which always entities
them to our sympathy and consider
alton.
The settlement needs an active,
energetic superintendent man of
system, with proper executive ability,
and heart for the work to which he
is called. Such man could revolu-
tionize the slip-shod methods now
obtaining and command the respect
and aloha of all at the colony. The
lepers would need less horses and
the more advanced cases would fare
better if their rations of paiai, meat
and milk we're delivered to them at
their doors. AT present they are
obliged to walk a long distance Ga
mile and a half or more) for their
rations of meat, milk, etc. Some are
too weak to undertake this journey
and as consequence they are de-
prived of just so much of their me-
cessares. Two delivery carts, horses
and men to drive them, would be
sufficient for this service.
Unless there are reasons not known
to the writer, the practice of forward
ing the mails for the settlement
over the Pail should be discontinued.
The change will remove unfounded
suspicious of patients as to the cause
of delays in answers to correspond
ence, etc. Mail for Kalaupapa and
Kalawao should be landed from the
steamer, at these places respectively.
1t will probably cost no more for
this service than the present prac
tice and if no reasonable objection
exists, the change ought to be made
as a matter of justice all concerned.
The store of the Board of Health
is located at Kalawao, which has at
present about 800 resident lepers,
the population of Kalaupapa being
about 900. Why not place a branch
store at kalaupapa and save its
population the wearying drudgery of
eemIle tramp to the store, which
they have at present. This would
also tend to greatly diminish the
number of horses kept by patients.
Consideration of a branch store
brings us to another matter which
will bear inquiry. Goods are sent
to the store for, lst, the distribution
of the yearly allowance of clothes,
etc. ; IDLY, to supply those who take
store orders instead of pai-ai Gas
matter of justice the amount of a
store order should represent the con-
tract price of a pai-ai, which | am re-
liabIy informed it does not do under
present regulations); 3rdly, for the
purpose of supplying those who can
afford them with such things as they
may require.
Such being the case, and there be-
ing no other incentive to persons for
buying, except to add to their com
fort and convenience, 1t is plainly
the duty of the Board of Health to
place the goods offered for sale at
the store on cost basis to all.
Wholesale rates at Honolulu, with
small percentage for freight and run
ming expenses added, should he the
total realization from this source.
The requirements of customers are
well-known, and consequently the
percentage of dead stock is small.
The store at Kalawao is said to do
a business of over $4,000 per an
nun, and it is the only strictly cash
business in the kingdom. Let the
lepers have their supplies at cost.
Kokuas may seem a necessary
adjunct of the settlement, but they
are gaining in numbers from the
fact that many of them continue at
the settlement after the death of the
one they went to assist. They inter
marry with patients and are the real
cause of large amount of evil of
which the Minister can see the out
groupings if he visits there. The
Board of Health seems to attempt TO
regulate this matter by not allowing
any more kokuas to 60 to the settle
ment. 1 have a case in mind where
this is great hardship to a patient.
Ben R, carpenter of sound body
(but with contraction OF the muscles
of the hands), wishes to have The
assistance of his wife. She is willing
to go, but the Board refuses OH
grounds not known to the writer.
There is moral obligation in this
case, one that the Board can hardly
ignore. The man may live for
twenty years or more, is active and
trustworthy, labors daily but finds
life burden because after his days
toll he is obliged to prepare his own
food, eat it in the presence of the
four walls bounding his cottage, and
go to bed. This is his daily routine
and if there is a man in Honolulu
that would care to be 50 placed, let
him try it for week, | do not argue
now in favor of kokuas. | am in
fact opposed to the system. But [
say that so long as the Board allows
any to go, the above-cited case is
one in which it should be allowed.