Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-12
HAWAIIAN LABORCOND!TlONS
An Interesting Report by Secretary Wray
Tailor.
Customs and Practices on the Planta-
aud Contract Workinsmen.

Honolulu. Mr.. Seweii sends, under date of
december II, Il copy of aIreport on the con-
ditions of labor in Hawaii by the secretary
OF the bureau of immigration, Mr.. Wray
IaYlor the purpose of which is to attempt
to trace an outline and fill in just enough
detail to give correct view and Intelligent
idea of Hawaiian labor conditions without
tFenching broadly on ground already COW
cred by reports and exhaustive schedules
and tables.
The ordinary manual work on a p,anta-
ton Is performed by unskilled labor. which
may be divided into two classes-contract
and free.
Contract labor. consisting of Japanese,
chinese. Portuguese. Italian. Hungarian,
Hawaiian and others, is held under con-
tract Tor three years when coming direct
from foreign countries under agreement,
ana Tor the same or a shorter period when
contracting after previous sojourn in this
country.
Free labor. consisting of the same ma
tlonalt1es, is employed by the day or
month. without contract, and has come into
the country AS free labor or has fulfilled a
previous three-year contract and is then
free to work where employment may be OBJ
tanned.
This free labor contingent is a fuctuating
and uncertain quantity-here today and
mere tomorrow-working at will, and seek
ing the places where most favorable con-
ultlons ana highest wages are in vogue.
The laborers receive higher pay than con-
tract men. but may be discharged at a mo-
ments notice. and the plantation owes them
nothing but shelter and wages for work
done.
The contract man occupies quite a differ
ent position with reference to his employer.
He is assured of steady work at fixed
sum per month. He can claim and receive
not only unfinished lodging for himself
and family, but fuel, water, taxes paid,
medical attendance and certain other privi-
ieges, and for this he must work, when
able certain fixed time per day, and a
certain number of days per MONTH wher-
ever it pleases the employer. and fulfill in
other respects the terms of his contract.
When contract laborers are needed from
abroad application is made to the govern
ment for permission to import laborers of
the desired nationality If permission is
granted the order to recruit them is given
10 immigration companies. authorized by
law. who employ recruiting agents in the
localities whence the men are to be drawn
These companies are then responsible for
the delivery of the required number of men
to the final employer.
immigration From Europe.
In obtaining European labor the planters
have the benefit of the authority, forms
and official connection of the board of i'm
migration; and, while all expenses are met
by the planters in the first instance, after
ward sum, not to exceed $13O for each
recruiting expenses and passage of women
and children accompa nying the immigrants
In this the immigrant contracts with
the board of immigration and signs his
agreement before the Hawaiian consul at
the port Of departure in his own country.
In this case, also, steerage passage, food
and medical attendance are furnished free
to his destfnat ton. and oftentimes IA money
advance is given, this to be repaid in small
monthly installments. The board of immi-
grafton assigns these laborers to their
eral employers, and they are at no expense
until they reach their field Of labor.
The only other laborers now imported are
Japanese. The companies supplying these
are chartered by the Japanese government,
and have their principal offices in Japan.
They are under heavy bonds and are COM
PEELED to submit all arrangements to the
governor of the district in which the agency
is located, and he is held responsible by the
general government.
lodgings on the Plantation.
The quarters furnished by the plantation
are grouped together in camps. located with
reference to convenience to work. and for
the most part with regard to drainage and
sanitary conditions.
The kind of building varies with the class
of labor. European labor has for a family,
for two single men, two rooms in a four
room cottage. Chinese, being single men,
housed in barracks with from six to
forty men in a room Single japanese are
often provided for in the same way: some
times however, only two occupying the
same room. Married Japanese are fur
nished with a small room for each family.
These house, rough frame buildings,
shingle or iron rooted, with x-foot-wide
covered porches extending their whole
length. All lately erected buildings are well
raised from the ground. Most have walls
eight ten feet high from floor to roof
plate. The height of ridgepOle above this
is from four to six feet Beneath the roof
there Is no ceiling and when divided into
rooms these are all open at the top, with a
clear space above from end to end of the
the roof. All walls are whitewashed. Often
the space between the rafters above the
roof plate is left open for ventilation.
These quarters furnish only a shelter and
a place of rest. Nothing more is attempted
In barracks where many single men are
collected a platform six to eight feet wide
and raised two feet above the floor runs
the length of the building, and each man
has about three feet in width of space for
himself to sleep on. The floor space is COM
mon property. Again. tiers of shelves three
feet wide along the sides of the room, some
times three four tiers high, with some
slight, low partitions, give about three by
six feet for man.
Many plantations provide central cook
houses, with or without ovens, and large
caldrons Some furnish dining rooms with
tables and benches.
Oriental labor demands, as a necessity, a
hot bath at the close of the day. To supply
TINS demand large WOODEN TUBS, with iron
bottoms, capable Of holding six to eight
persons, arranged SO that fire beneath
can heat large body Of water. in the open
or under a roof. are supplied either by the
plantation-in which case the bath Is free
or by some one among the laborers. in
which latter case a small monthly fee is
paid.
The staple article of diet is rice Chinese
add pork Oh vegetables, and certain Chinese
dried. sailed and otherwise preserved food
imported from their own country Ducks
are in favor with them. and tea in quantity
is a never-failng beverage. Japanese add