The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-01-23

With regard to kokuas living at the
settlement, who really have no bust
ness there, that is a well-known fact
to the Board of Health, to the Super
intendent and myself, and have al
WAYS considered ii an act of injustice
| to allow some to live there, prosecute
| others when found in the settlement,
and forbid others altogether, and beg
| to refer the honorable members OF
the Board of Health to my report of
| 1892 to the Board, on the subject of
kokuas, and kindly read what l have
said there on pages 1l9 to 12l.
The injustice, however, does not
consist in forbidding relatives and
friends of lepers to go and live with
| their relations and friends now, or
visit them az the settlement; that is
Just and in accordance with the segre-
cation law. The injustice is the work
of former Boards in permitting so
many kokuas to live at the settlement
without sufficient Justification, and
not making it imperative to leave af-
ter the death of their charges, as is the
! case now. Under DR.. EmersOn's presi-
dency, many were permitted to live at
the settlement under the condition
that they remain there for life, and it
is lust this condition which rather
compromises the Board in dealing
properly with these people.
Not very long after Mr.. Dayton be-
came the President of the Board, he
seemed TO be particularly anxious to
have all useless kokuas expelled from
the settlement, believing, as he said,
fhny- Df r,ntr.l, 10
ana discomfort amongst the people, an
opinion which 1 also knew was cor
rect.
Subsequently, / was instructed by
the Board, in writing, to try and eX-
pei all such kokuas who had no bust
ness there, and who were not en-
ployed by the Board. In consequence
of this order from the Board, set to
work to accomplish this task in my
own way, and would have easily ac-
complished it without causing the
least disturbance had l been honestly
supported by the President of the
Board. l commenced with making a
list of all the kokuas, and stuck up
the following notice: In conformity
with the laws and by order of the
Board of Health, all persons living at
the Leper Settlement who are not
afflicted with leprosy, and whose
permits to reside at the Settlement as
kokuas have expired and become void
on account of the death of their friends
and relatives, for whom they were
originally permitted to live at the
Settlement, are hereby requested to
renew their permits within two
he tho Iafa nf this pntian
Non compliance with this request, at
the expiration OF this time, will eX-
pose them to prosecution and SUISSE
quent penalty according to the laws
of the kingdom. Leper Settlement,
October 10, 1891. (Signed) r. w.
MEYER, Agent Board of Health"
l submitted this notice to the Board,
but received no official acknowledge
ment of the same. One member, how
ever. acknowledged it in a private
letter, and expressed his fullest APP
prevail but that was private. A
week or two afterwards L was sur
prised to receive a letter from the
Secretary, expressing fear that my
proceedings might cause unpleasant
ness, etc.
Next | found that Mr.. Dayton's
" very worthy Hawaiian" (see Re
port, 1892, page 81 was only using my
endeavors to accomplish the desired |
secure the "ill-will" of |
the people; hence their subsequent |
threats to kill me, and the very
worthy Hawaiians forgery and many |
other attempts to get rid of me.
After being fully assured that was !
not in error, / proposed to the Board |
at meeting to leave this matter to a |
TO go up and say who |
shall be permitted to remain and who |
not. To this the Board assented, and |
a committee was appointed to go up
to the Settlement, composed of Mr..
Dayton and J. F. Colburn, to settle
this matter with Mr.. Tell. Mr.. Col
burn did not go; Mr. Dayton went
alone, spent week at the Settlement,
made another list of the names of
koBuas, not quite as full as mine
returned to Honolulu and bought a
very large book to record the valuable
history of every kokua. Mr.. Dayton
went again and again, made another
list, believe, but nothing further
was done.
The Hon. J. T. Waterhouse, Jr., and
lhe Hon. Mr.. Ena, were members of
he Board then, as now, and Mr.. Chas.
Wilcox was the secretary and all
,hese gentlemen doubtless remember
most of this affair.
This kokua matter would have been
ettled, it was only necessary to pro-
ecute two or three, and make an
of them, the rest would have
eft without resorting to prosecution.
As it was, some ten left, after L had
tuck up that notice before men
Toned.
However, this matter requires more
than / can write in a
TASTY letter, and it must be remem-
,ered, that the settlement cannot get
long entirely without some kokuas
nd clean persons.
/ intend to go to Honolulu in cOu-
lie of weeks, three perhaps from now,
nd shall be able to give further de-
ails of this kOkua business, if the
Board wishes it.
In regard to allowing the lepers to
aise ava for use, it was decided to
axe no special action at the present
leetipg, but to instruct the acting