The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-05-28


prefer what he wanted instead OF
abusing one or two OF their uumber
it would have been different. II was
no use making any complaint to the
manager, for he took no notice of
them. They understood that they
were to work on the plantation for
three years under contract, and were
willing to do so to the best Of their
ability If properly treated. They
did not appear TO have any serious
grievance against the other lunas.
Since the rioting they claim that
they have been treated little bet
ter, yet there is room for much inn
provement. They claim that to be
arrested for not working quick
enough is hardship, and at the
same time they lose their money.
The men receive $3.50 a month,
but out OF this S1.50 is RENTED to
the Board Of immigration towards
paying the laborers' return passage,
when he desires to return to China.
That leaves him Sill, but there are
very few that receive over Sc or 81,
and some Of them even less than
that on account of the persistent
docking, for what, they are at loss
to understand. 1t would be Of no use
to say anything to the manager, he
is always deaf to any of their COM
plants. Their next complaint was
with regard to the number OF hours
they have to work. The contracts
call for ten hours in the field. In
this matter find that the men are
turned out earlier than they ought
to be, and sometimes are little late
in being sent home. / do not know
what particular time is kept on the
plantation, but l sm very much I'M
der the impression from what l
gathered, that the mill clock is one
Of kind that moves quickly or
slowly as required. The men told
me that since the fight the clock
had changed Another piece Of in
formation they gave was that the
Sheriff, through his own Interpreter,
told them that they could leave the
plantation any time by paying $50
and go where they liked. This is
only partly true. The Sheriff has
ia his possession letter from Man
ager Wolters stating that as the
men were vicious and bad lot he
would like to release them. But
Mr.. Wolters forgets that he has not
the authority to do so, it can only
be obtained from the Board of I'm
migration, and then on certain con-
ditions.
In regard to the docking OF their
wages, the men could not explain
for what reason this was done, and
certainly | got very little satisfac-
ton from those in charge when ]
went into the matter. Sometimes a
man feels sick when he gets up aud
like other people, wants to see a
doctor. He visits the doctor who
has probably quite number to at
tend to. Say he gets through with
the doctor about ten o'clock, gets
medicine and feels better. If he
goes in the field at noon to work
the afternoon, the book-keeper told
me they do not pay the man for the
afternoon. Some explanation wai
afterwards made to me by the man
ager, but it was not entirely salts
factory, The same may be said
: when | asked the question, do you
dock the mems wages for working
, slowlyW The manager pays the
men their wages, and have asked
him in future to be very careful il
his system of docking and do il
! fairly. If the men have grievance
as to their wages let it be stated
v through the interpreter. The ide'
a of pushing laborer on one side foI
asking the reason his wages have
h been docked, without any explana
o ton, is not right.
a Another complaint was that OF I