The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-06-21
is $4,000 AVAILABLE! A BIG TELEPHONE CABLE.
QUERY BEFORE THE
GOVERNMENT.
Money Deposited by Chinese to Insure,
Passage Home-Question as to
Ownership Official Opinions.


Some government officials are laying
awake nights over what shall or can
be done with about $1S0,000 in the First
National Bank to the credit of the
Board of immigration and to be used
in sending Chinese contract laborers
back to China. Under the old law
Chinese immigrants had to agree to de-
posit with the Board of immigration
$1.5O a month until $36 had been paid
in, the money to be used to pay the
coolies way back to Hongkong when
ever he might be ready to return. BY
arrangement with the planters the
amount mentioned was held out of the
wages of Cinnamon, turned over to the
Board and by it deposited in the Postal
Savings Bank to the credit of the
Board. With the number of contract
laborers in the country prior to annex
alton it can readily be seen that an
enormous amount would be accumulat-
ed under this system.
When a Chinaman would prepare to
return home he would apply at the
Board for his ticket. Secretary Taylor
would draw the money from the Pos
tai Savings Bank, buy the ticket, turn
it over to steamers purser and give the
Chinaman the change, if any there
should be.
tenn of purchasing tickets for China
men has obtained, except, however,
that the little brown men could not be
forced to return at the expiration of
any stated period. The largest number
returned on a single steamer since an
neXation has been So. Fourteen are
preparing to leave by the next steam
er and tickets are being purchased for
them.
The clause in the agreement between
the government and the immigrants
reads as follows:
And upon the further condition that
at the end of each month the sum of
one dollar and fifty cents shall be paid
by him to the Board of Immigration in
such manner and subject to such reg
ulations as said Board shall direct, un-
til such payments amount to the sum
of $36, which sum is to be applied by
the Board of immigration toward the
payment of his return passage money
at the time that he desires to return
! to China"
1t will be observed that there is no
| limit to the time the matter may hang
| fire. Under the contract labor law it
was always three years unless the lab
| orcr recontracted. But now the China
man might live here twenty years and
could not, under the original agree
ment, draw his money except in the
| way of a ticket to China. In case of
! the death of the Immigrant, to whom
| does the money belong and how is it to
be used? 1t would simply have to lie in
| the vaults of the treasury until some
| law in regard to it is made.
The question now is what shall be
| done with the money!" 1t is still to
the credit of the Board of immigration.
| Government heads are earnestly dis
| Cussing the matter of removing 1T to
| the treasury; but what is to be done
! with it when there is a question? Can
! it be used by the Government for any
purpose? 1t is claimed that it cannot,
! for the reason that it Is due to the
| Chinaman on call.
Treasurer Wright says: Not one
cent of that money can be used for
| any purpose other than returning Chi
| nese to their homes l have heard that
there was some idea of bringing it up
here. If it is brought here, it will have
| to go into the vault as a special deposit
to be used only as the law directs, or,
in other words, for tickets for these
| Cinnamon"
Wray Taylor, Secretary of the Board
says: 1T is utterly impossible to use
any part of this money for other than
the original purpose. The money was
i earned by the Cinnamon and under the
law was to be used for their return to
| China. While the contract laborer law
has been abolished, this obligation to
the laborers cannot be repudiated."
Acting Governor Cooper is believed to
be of the opinion that the money can
be used by the Hawaiian Government.
| Just what the details of his views are
could not be learned direct, as he twice
refused positively to be interviewed.
i The matter has been discussed among
the heads of the departments to some
| extent. II do not know what can be
done about the money. The matter is
now under consideration, and 1 have
asked the Attorney General to prepare
an opinion on the legal aspects of the
4 case" Further than that Mr.. Cooper
would say nothing.
Attorney General Dole: "I now have
the matter under consideration and am
preparing an opinion for the Governor.
/ I cannot tell you what that opinion
will be nor can 1 express any views
at this time" When asked If the opin-
ion would be filed next week, Mr., Dole
declined to say.
| Summed up from the best information
obtainable 1t would seem that the Act
ing Governor believes that the money
either reverts to the government by the
failure of the contract labor system,
or, at any rate, that it can be utilized
by the government at least for period
of time The other view is held by
Wright and Taylor. Both sides seem
agreed, however, that something should
be done to clear up the status of the
treasure or get 1t out of the way.
SEMI WEEKLY STAR