The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-05-01
|LIHUE TROUBLES
Chinese Commercial Agent on
Situation.
INVESTIGATION WILL BE MADE
LaborerS Must Receive
Better Treatment.
Planters Methods are Brutal - De-
auctions and Fines for
Illness.

| Goo Kim Fuzzy, Chinese Commercial
Agent, in speaking of the disappoint-
ment he felt at not seeing the Chinese
Minister to the United States, said:
ut was a great disappointment to
| us all, because the United Chinese So
cieties had made all preparations to
give him reception BETTING a man of
his station in public life He was anx-
ious, too, to meet our people and con
verse with them, as we'll as the Off
Gals of the Government You know.
there are about 10000 Chinese here
quite representation-and the Minis
ter wished to see the Minister of For
eign Affairs and talk about treaty
between the two countries.
Il received a letter from Minister
Cooper, notifying me of the action of
the Board of Health. I communicated
the contents to the Minister, and he at
once asked me if 1 had attended the
meeting. I said l had not He then
asked me how many men were pres
ent at the meeting, and when I told
him five, he evinced great surprise to
think that so few men could control so
many people as are in the Islands. He
spoke about the steamer having n
clean bill of health, but l told him
was powerless to do anything in the
matter
The affair was unpleasant to him
and to the Chinese here, but [ do not
think we will hear of it again He told
Mr. Wong Kwai, so I have heard, that
he considered the treatment about the
same as would be accorded coolies
but he did not make the remark in
my hearing
Mr.. Goo Kim deprecated the idea
that diplomatic correspondence would
follow what the Minister is said 70
have considered a slight In referring
to the trouble among the Chinese at
Lihue plantation, and the arrest of the
Il Cinnamon. the Agent said:
81 have notified the Government
within the past three days that I be-
lieved an investigation into the recent
troubles on Kauai was advisable, and
I guess when Minister King gets we'll
enough the investigation will be made.
I understand Mr.. Taylor has been
down there and investigated the affair.
but | know nothing of his report.
From what / have learned, the treat
ment of the MN at Lihue is brutal.
Just look at the condition of these
men. They come here to work for
$3.50 per month of &c days. OF this
81 so is taken each month for the saw
ings bank. That leaves the laborer
Sill If he is sick the doctor calls on
him. and. after an examination, sends
him to the field to work half a day
without pay and this, too, when their
contracts call for free medical attend
ance. What right. I would like to
know, has a plantation manager TO
demand service of his men and then
refuse to pay them?
Another thing IF the work hap
pens to be slack the luna will tell the
Cinnamon to go home and go to sleep.
They have half days pay deducted
for this. though they are not to blame.
The contract calls for 26 DAYS work.
and if the IabOrer is ready to perform
it he should be paid for it. Another
plan they have for economizing is 10
arrest men who complain of illness and
fine them S3.25. I have written num-
Der Of complaints to the Government
regarding the methods on some OF the
plantations, but nothing has ever
come of them. Now I think it is
time something should be done, and
unless some reforms are put into op-
Grafton. we will have to follow the
course recently adopted by Japan
stop emigration. If the planters do
not have either Japanese or Chinese
10 draw from. where will they be? It
will not be long before wages will go
up TO $50 a month. and if the treaty is
abrogated, and wages go up, they may
learn TO treat our people better. 1t is