The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-01-13
CORRESPONDENCE.
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the
statement made, or opinions expressed by our
correspondents.
Plantation Labor.

morning a correspondent under the
nom de-plume of Lyndhurst
makes suggestion for relieving
the scarcity of plantation labor in
this country, which to the super
fetal observer may appear very
plausible, namely, to try the impor-
tation of laborers from the Island
of Java.
Now, Mr.. Editor, this question is
one of such all-absorbing interest
to the development of the leading
industry of the ingdom, that
crave permission to encroach upon
the valuable space of your columns
and hasten to dispel any erroneous
impressions which the letter above
referred to may create in the minds
of your readers.
No, sir, your correspondent has
not discovered the panacea which
is to bring balm to Gilead, and if
any Hawaiian planter should run
away with the idea that here, at
last, is his salvation, and act upon
the advice, he will find himself
sadly mistaken.
"Three or four years ago." says
"Lyndhurst, in the western (sic.)
part of Queensland, Australia, such
an arrangement was made with the
Dutch, and great many men were
| imported, and the results at that
time were found to be very salts
factory.
THE character of the Javanese
workman is excellent, being a hard
worker, steady and most docile. :.
In Australia the men are i'm
ported under strict engagements
with the Dutch Government.
" As the Javanese were found to
be far more preferable to the South
Sea Islanders or the Chinese, why
would it not be wise to try them in
these islands?"
1 will tell your correspondent
why, [ do not think 1t would be
wise. Because, with all due respect
to him, 1 most emphatically deny
the correctness of the above state
ments in toto. At the very same
time of which he speaks. L was
overseer on one of the plantations
on the Herbert River in North
Queensland, the most fertile sugar
district in Australia, The manager
and sub-manager were both men of
singular push and energy. Indeed,
the former gentleman's well known
administrative abilities have since
then procured for him the honor
able position of Minister of Public
Works in the Queensland Govern
ment. We had Javanese laborers.
The amount of trouble that they
caused US was endless. Their in
genuity in inventing all sorts of
lodges to escape from work was
marvellous. They would plead
sickness in such numbers that on
one occasion it was feared that an
epidemic had set in, but upon the
doctor being called in it was soon
found that they were only sham
ming" Desertions were numerous
and the country for miles around
had to be secured in search of the
truants. Once, in the stiffness of
the night, the whole mob decamped
en- masse, and the mounted police
constabulary had to assist in their
capture. Another night they burn
ed down their barracks, taking good
care to first save all their personal
effects. Fights were of frequent
occurrence, and more than once
the " kris was resorted to for mu-
tuaI defense. They were sullen,
treacherous and indoIent, requiring
incessant and vigilant watching,
and their licentious immortality
caused a great deal of loathsome
diseases among them. They are an
understood race like the Japanese,
but quite devoid of the persever-
ance, cheerfulness and thriftiness of
the latter.
So much for the excellent char
aeter of the Javanese workman"
And what | have here described
was the average record on all the |
other plantations. And so far !
from "the results being found very |
satisfactory there was general |
consensus of opinion, freely ex-
pressed in the public press through |
out the colony that, upon the whole, |
the introduction of the Javanese
element had been dismal failure.
The experiment was made in con-
sequence of the passage of an Act
of Parliament prohibiting all
further recruiting of Polynesian
labor on and after the 31st of De-
cember, 1890. Shortly afterwards
the news came from Batavia that
fbo nrfob O0ror1poo ont rrara about |