The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-27
TURN. OVER
The FUNDS
immigration Blu.
reau Money Now
In Treasury.

Of the immigration bureau is being
turned into the Treasury. The first evi-
dence Of this was when President Brown
of the First National, Bank called upon
Acting Governor. Cooper yesterday, and
requested him TO call at the bank and
receive $4,000 of the immigration funds
which were ready for the transfer.
The money was received, In the form
of bright new gold certificates, and
placed in the Territorial treasury as a
special deposit. to meet drafts which
may be made on account OF departing
Chinese. No other disposition will be
made OF this money for the present.
What may be done with 1t In the future
isfa question which will be allowed 70
solve itself. It Is understood that the
money will be paid into the Treasury
from time to time until. before tho end
OF the sixty days notice given by the
Territory 10 the bank on June 18th. all
the fund will have been transferred
There Ia now no couree left for the
Chinese Consul but to move against tne
Territory In case there should be any
one who contributed to this fund who
may fail to receive his money on de-
mand. The Coneul has put the entire
matter In the hands OF the Chinese Min
s6k61 at w h6uR8bO1. AnO WILL nave nOSb-
ing more to do until there has been re-
ceiyed letter from the capital which
will direct his actions.
One feature OF the contest which has
developed Is that there is on foot plan
to take the money out of the hands
OF the Territory and distribute II to the
men who were assessed for the amounts
or to their heirs IT: they are dead
and that the case is being worked up
by an attorney who has been prominent
in other litigation connected with the
Chinese. This brings up the fact too
that there are many Chinese who are re-
turning to .neir own country but who
are not calling for their deposits. The
contract with the old government was
such that in the case of a departing
Chinese who took his fare and expense
money out of the immigration fund,
there could be issued no return certifl-
cate. Since the registration of the Chi
nese there has been a feeling that there
is no use of departing without a re-
turn certificate, as should the man hold
ing it not wish to come back. there is
always a ready sale for the papers in
China. anu there Is always such re-
| semblances as would make 1t possible
/ for another to enter the country.
| With this condition there has been
given an opinion from one of the at
! torneys who nave been working up the
case, according to the information now
current. that with the passing of con-
| tract labor and the conditions before ex-
| listing, all contracts made with the Re-
public Of Hawaii have been abrogated
and that In consequence the moneys
| paid out under such labor contracts are
| recoverable. With this contention there
Is put on record the contrary belief that
there Is contract, for the attorney does
not permit any OF his clients TO make a
demand upon The authorities for q return
certificate and then demand tho money
too.
| For some days Acting Governor Cooper
hae bean eagerly looking for the proc
lamation from the Chinese Consul.
calling upon the Chineee to meet to take
| steps to protect the fund now In the
bank. As published In the Bulletin the
proclamation was full Of matter which
properly would need explanation, and the
order to seek copy was to secure an
other translation. that IL there was
IN it the language rejecting upon him.
Washington could be notified. The Gov
| ernor could not find copy but the pro-
clamation appeared in the Chinese News.
The translation herewith given fails to
show any Of the language which was en-
phasized In the paper which printed the
Iproclama ton first:
PROCLAMATION TO CHINESE La
BORERS
According to the Laws of the Hawaiian
Islands in regard to Chinese Laborers In
force in 1885, there was deducted from
the wages of each laberer, the sum of
Thirty-six Dollars $4,000 to pay for his
return passage to China at the expira-
ton of his term of contract. Over 5000
Chinese laborers have arrived since that
time, and the money accumulated by the
above deductions was deposited In the
Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank at Az
per cent interest, by the Secretary of
| the Board of Immigration.
Since the acquisition of the Hawaiian
Islands by the United States of America,
the contract system has been abolished,
and the laborers under contract then are
entitled to remain In the country If they
complied with the Registration Law. in
which event there Is no likelihood of
their Wti0rawing the amount Of their
deposit
In the meantime the balance of the
fund has been deposited in the First
American Savings & Trust Co.. Ltd, of
Hawaii, to the amount of over 1926, 0o0
The condition of the Hawaiian Treasury
Is now such that 1t Is the intention to
use this fund for Territorial current ex-
penses. Upon learning of this fact, /
at once wrote to the Secretary of the
Board of immigration, and the First
American Savings & Trust Co., Ltd,
protesting against the transfer of this
fund for Territorial expenses. The Inn
migration official at once referred my
letter to the Governor and a reply was
received. stating that the Immigration
Fund would not be taken for purposes
other than stipulated. and also stating
that the rumor was without foundation.
a reply was also received from the
First American Savings q Trust Co.,
Ltd, stating that the Governor had re-
quested them to transfer the Imrntgra-
ton Fund to the Hawaiian Treasury.
and advising me to take steps to pro-
tect the fund from being transferred.
Now that the labor contract has been
abolished, there remains the above sum
to which the laborers are entitled there
fore NOTICE is HEREBY GIVEN to
gil laborers to meet AT OUR CONSUL
ATE to decide what steps shall be taken
to protect our interests. meanwhile q re-
port OF all our transaction. will be sent
TO our minister in Washington, D. C,
Done at our Consulate this - day of