The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-06-20
KAUAI MANAGERS WILL NOT
HOUSE THEM.
Japanese Laborers With the Idea That
They Can Make Money Easily in
Honolulu City.

The contract Japanese on Kauai
plantations were still on strike yester-
day, though the day laborers in some
cases have returned to work. This
was the cause of row at Lihue on
Monday evening, when the contract
laborers made an attack upon those
who had returned to labor. The day
men at this place concluded on Mon
day morning that they had had
enough of the strike and they went
back to work. In the evening a lot of
the contract men lay in wait for them
and there was a general fight, with
nothing worse than some severe bruises
as a result. The trouble was wholly
between the two factions of Japs, and
the plantation managers took no part
in it.
Some of the managers on Kauai have
notified the men on strike that if they
do not want to go to work they must
vacate their homes on the plantations
and leave at once. The men are all
living in the homes provided for them
on the plantations, and are not doing
anything. The plantation managers
threaten to have them removed if they
do not go to work at once. Many of
the laborers seem to have an idea that
| they can come to Honolulu and get
much better jobs than they have now,
and they talk of coming to this city to
work now that they are free.
| Yesterday about 10 of the laborers
J from Heeia plantation came to Homo
lulu. They had been made free and Civ
en- their contracts back, and all left
with the idea of coming to Honolulu
and making one or two dollars a day.
After a short time in the city they be-
gan to realize that it was no easier for
them to pick up money here than on
the plantation, and they are reported
to be returning to their plantation work
| today.
| One of the local Japanese newspapers
is said to be stirring up trouble by pub
| fishing articles encouraging the men to
| continuing on strike.
The Japanese immigration companies
wish to correct the impression sought
to be created in some quarters, that the
50. so of each laborers monthly wages
paid to them, is a profit or perquisite
or even that it was put into the con-
tracts at their suggestion. 1t is re-
quirement of the Japanese government
| for the purpose of guarding against
japanese immigrants becoming paupers
or a charge on the government.
The money is paid by the planters
to the immigration companies and is
held by the latter as trustees for the
benefit of the laborers. A monthly ac-
count of the moneys received is made
by the companies to the Japanese con
sui and the Japanese home govern
ment, and is deposited in banks APPROX
ed by the Japanese government. When
ever labor contract is terminated by
| sickness, death or expiration, the Ia
borer or his heirs is given the whole
amount retained from his wages, to-
gether with the interest received on it
Officers of the companies say they
find the really Industrious laborers are
still in favor of this reserve as being
practically a savings fund for theil
benefit, but that it is the idle restles!
and dissipated, who want to get theil
hands on what the Japanese govern
ment intended should be a safeguard
for them.