The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-07-26
Letter from Mr.. Carter.

AS Ivy udllle las Deeu lIeely useu
in connection with the Kalalau af-
fair, rather unscrupulously by your
evening contemporary, it seems de-
for me to say something
about the affair in self-defense. The
Star writer says:
"Hon. w. y. Smith comes in for
unlimited abuse from the ex-Queen's
organ because of the kalalau expedi-
ton, which it says he is responsible
for. How indecent and unjust this
proceeding is may be seen in the
fact that Minister Smith opposed
and resisted the Kalalau movement
but was overruled in the Board of
Health by prominent Royalist and
his friends. From first to last Mr..
Smith was convinced that the at
tempt to remove the lepers at this
time was inexpedient. The whole
responsibility for the tragedies rests
upon other shoulders than his"
As | believe that l was the
only member of the Board of Health
who was not an annexationist it is
not unreasonable for me to suppose
that was the prominent Royalist"
who, with his friends, forced the
president Of that board to do the
thing which he did not wish to do.
This statement has amusing as well
as serious features. My purpose now
is to show that responsibility for the
Kalalau tragedy cannot be made to
rest upon the shoulders of any mem
ber OF the Board Of Health; wher-
ever else it may rest is no matter Of
| mine. As the Board of Health was
! powerless to act without the assist
ance of the police, and as the presi-
dent of that board is also the At
torney- General, and as such officer
| has control of the police, it would
| seem that all he had to do was to
follow the policy of several of his
predecessors and refuse the assist
ance of the police in arresting the
| lepers at Kalalau. This would have
! ettectually blocked the "promiuent
! koyalist and his friends" in an at
tempt to put the president of the
J board in straits. The recent ac-
! ton of the Board of Health in the
! kalalau matter was brought up by
u letter from its agent at Walmea,
Kauai, who was also Dpputy-Sher-
i'll. This letter was read at the board
meeting held on the 9th of May,
calling the attention of the board to
the fact that number of lepers
were at Kalalau and stated that if
they were to be removed action to
that end should not be delayed be-
yond the month OF July.
During the discussion of the letter
the president criticised the members
Of the former board for not remov-
ing the lepers, when he was at once
told by the senior member of the
! board that all attempts to remove
them, of which there had been sew,
eral, had proved fruitless because
the police authorities had refused
the assistance which the law pro,
, vided. After this passage at arms
the president and members of the
board spoke OF the possible danger
TO life, the expense of such removal
and the wisdom of making the at,
tempt at the time. During the dis.
cussion, realizing the responsibility
for taking action, | said that il
would be well for the president be
fore taking any action as Attorney
General to discuss the matter with
his colleagues OF the Government
In the face of this cautionary advice
how can it be said by any fair mind
ed person that there was any desigl
on my part to foment trouble? The
result of the discussion was the pas
sage of resolution, suggested by
the president, that the agent of tn,
board at Waimea visit Kalalau anC
make full report upon the mum
Der, age, and sex OF the lepers il
that valley, and upon such otheI
matters as bore upon the question
under consideration. This report
came to hand in due season.
Discussions took place at meetings
of the board held May 18th, 3lst
and June 10th, during which | can
not recall that the president oppos
ed or resisted the proposed remoya
of the lepers; but that he did max,
suggestions to facilitate the actor
OF the board, II my memory serves
mo every resolution Of the boarC
touching this matter was carried
! without dissenting vote. l am in