The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-12
WANT CASH
IN TIE BANK
Chinese Consul is
Opposing Any
Transfer.
FUND FOR RETURNS
MUST BE INTACT
immigration Bureau Holdings
Unproductive.--Need Ready
Money.

Formal protest has been entered by
the 1921, 200 of the immigration Trust
fund from the First National Bank to
the Territorial Treasury. The repre-
sentative of the Orientals now in the
is the property OF the Chinese who con-
tributed to it, and that any transfer of
it to the Treasury of the Territory,
where it might be used as necessity de-
mands, would be endangering the in
terests of the people whom he is here
to protect. The protest has beeen sent,
not only to the officials who had the
fund in charge, but also to the bank.
This may mean that there will be a
contest over the possession Of this fund.
The moneys held in the immigration
fund reached the First National Bank
after the liquidation of the Postal Saw
ings Bank, where such sums as were
collected had been deposited according
to the law. The money represented in
the total was collected from the Chi
nese laborers for the purpose of provid-
ing a fund from which they might pay
their way 10 their homes at the end of
their terms of contract labor. These
sums of money were placed In the saw
ings bank in the name of Wray Taylor,
then Commissioner of immigration, and
drew interest at the regular rate, the
principal being held by the Govern
ment, as was all other money on de-
post in the savings bank, the entire
amount of the deposit being guaran-
teed by the bonds of the bank.
Since the liquidation this money has
been in the bank and the Territory has
neither been receiving interest upon it
nor had the use of any part of it, al
though there is no danger of a call for
the whole amount at any time, and at
present there is very little demand upon
the fund as the number of returning
Chinese is small. That there will be a
large proportion of the amount which
never will be called for is anticipated
by some of those who have been in con-
nection with the affairs of the Bureau
of immigration in the past The Treas
ury, when the cash comes into its hands,
would not be called upon to meet de-
mands for any large amounts at one
time, and in the meantime would have
the use of funds which are not product
i've and in lieu of which the Treasury
may have to pay interest for cash to
tide over the period until taxes begin
to come in The text of the protest
which was directed to Mr.. Taylor, as
secretary of the Bureau of Immigra-
ton, and which was turned over to the
acting Governor, is as follows:
AS the representative of the Empire
Of China and in behalf of the Chinese
subjects in the Territory of Hawaii who
contributed to the immigration Trust
fund and who alone are entitled to with
draw or receive the same, 1 beg to pro-
test against any diversion of said fund
for the use of the current expenses of
the Territory or any other purpose. 1t
is my duty to take steps in the proper
courts and elsewhere. which I viii do
to protect the interests of the Chinese
contributing to this fund Pending
such proceedings I beg to file with you
this protest against interference with
said moneys.
To this communication Mr. Cooper re-
piled:
Your letter addressed to Wray Tay-
Tor. ex-secretary of the Bureau of I'm
migration, was referred to me. I have
to say that you must have been misin-
formed that the money was to be used
for the current expenses of the Terri
tory. The money viii be held by the
Territorial Government and will be
paid over to the Chinese laborers on
their return to their native land.
The Chinese Consul, 1t is said, has for
warded the details of the entire trans
action to Minister WI Ting Fang at
Washington.
q