The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-09-01
SECRETARY GAGE
And His Correspondence
With How Duck.
1fsass Dsearmsnt DssiIass 10 Pay for
Mslate ace q 0usrsatissd
Chinese.

The following correspondence be-
tween tho Treasury Department at
washington and How Duck, on behalf
Of certain Chinese here. Is self-explana-
tory:
Honolulu. II. l.. July s, 1899.
Hon. Lyman }. Gage. Secretary of
the Treasury. Washington, ID. C.-Sir:
wish to call your attention to the
hardship which has been inflicted on
nyself and my co-passengers by the
steamship Coptie, which arrived In
honolulu on January &c. 1899.
We left HongkOng on January s.
1850, each having In possession legal
pernit from the Hawaiian Govern
mont 10 return to the Hawaiin Islands.
Relying on the validity of these per-
nits, We had purchased our passages
and came floating over the sea in per-
NET confidence that they would be hon
cred and We permitted to return to our
homes In Hawaii. To our surprise. we
were informed at Honolulu by the
United States Inspector Of Chinese
immigration that we could not land,
not being Of thea.'exempt" class. Al
tAOush the quarantine grounds were
fun Of Chinese who had been also re-
fused landing and who were awaiting
= decision from Washington on their
appeal from the decision Of the Col
lector denying right to land, we we're
not informed that we had the right of
appeal.
On February %, 1899, on the return
trip Of the Coptic, we were told to get
eur baggage together and were shipped
back to China.
BY the vessel following us our per-
nits were forwarded to us by our
friends and we were informed that we
would now he permitted to land.
Naturally, this second paying of pas
sage money and the concomitant ex-
penses in Hongkong was expensive,
and in my case amounted to the sum
Of $40 in Mexican money, or about $40
United States currency, not mention
ing the loss of my time and the hard
ship endured.
l do not know the amount Of expense
Of my co-passengers, who have all
since returned to Honolulu.
We are poor and the burden Is all
the heavier.
I understand that the Department
has betrayed the expenses of mainte-
nance OF all who were detained, from
the appropriation for expenses Of an
nexation Of the Hawaiian Islands. l
consider that my expenses and that Of
my co-passengers could as Justly be
paid from the same appropriation. The
Oh NJ 81 N,
us for our extra expense in landing in
Hawaii, where We had legal right to
land on permits issued prior to annex
alton by an independent Government.
The names OF my co-passengers and
numbers and dates OF their Hawaiian
permits are as follows, viz:
No. IS, Lau Yait, May 6, 1893, eX-
tended August 16, 1898.
No. 1888, Tam Ching and wife Chew
SEE Fook) and infant, November 26,
1895.
No. 2o49, Hoon wah, September I,
1897.
No. 2O52, Quain Sing, September g.
1897.
No. 2252, All Kee, January 80. 1898,
No. 2270. How Duck, February %,
1898.
No. 2340, All Sam, May 3, 1895.
No. 5577. Lau New Tim "a bond per-
mit).
Trusting this appeal will meet the
response its business deserves and that
you will order that we be reimbursed
our unavoidable ION our parD eX-
peues, remain most respectfully
yours. HOW DUCK.
Treasury Department. Office of the
Secretary, Washington, ID. c.,
July p. 1899.
Mr. How Duck, Honolulu, II. Sir:
The Department has received your let
ter of the Sth inst, stating that your
self and ten other Chinese persons
were denied admission to the Hawaii
an Islands in February last, upon the
presentation by you Of legal permits
from the Hawaiian Government, en-
titling you to return to these Islands
and that you have since been admitted
thereto upon such permits, and asking
that the expenses incurred by you by
reason of the action OF the Hawaiian
authorities in refusing you such adj
mission, amount to $40 Mexican, or
$40 United States currency, be allowed
and paid to you from the appropriation
from which the expense OF maintaining
the Chinese who were detained at the
quarantine at Honolulu was paid.
You are informed that the appropria'
ton referred 10 is not available fol
your relief in the premises, and thai
for similar reasons the Department de-
clined TO pay for the maintenance ol
the Chinese so detained at Honolulu
Respectfully yours, -
o. y. SPAULDlNG,
Assistant Secretary,