The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-27
THE BOARD
WANTS PAY
Planters Held for
Care of Porto
RiCan.
SUPT. BOYD
AT MEETING
Board OF Health Lets CONTRACTS
for Supplies at the Asylum
and Settlement.

Responsibility for the care Of the
Porto Ricans brought here at the in
stance of the Hawaiian Planters Assoc
citation was the question which occupied
the attention of the Board of Health
at yesterdays postponed meeting. The
case in question was that of James r.
Cantario. a Porto Rican now n the
Hospital for the Insane, and who mad
been taken from one of the steamers
laden with laborers some six months
asylum by Judge Wilcox and the 2oar1
of Health fOrwa rded a bill for $3.50 for
his care since that time to the Hawaii
an Planters Association. w. O. Smith.
as secretary, appeared before the board.
having been invited to come, upon a
receipt of a letter in which the Plant
ers' Association disclaimed -esponsibn-
ity for the care of the unfortunate Por-
to Rican.
Both DIR. Cooper and DIR. Pratt stated
that the laborer had been taken from
one of the Porto Rican ships and was
insane at the time. The ian
was placed in charge of the Soard of
Health representatives, according to the
statement Of Dr. Cooper. who was
President at the time. at the request of
Mr.. Gilman, who stated that the Plan !
ter's Association would be RESPONSIBLE .
for his care.
THE facts of the coming of these Por- /
to RIcans are different said Mr.. Smith.
from the immigration under the mon
lrchy and republic. when contract Ia
Dorers were brought to Honolulu from
Japan and China. These Porto Ricans
come here only with the assurance that
Ley Will be given work upon their ar
.ival al a given rate of wages. There is
10 contract Of any kind. and they are
rec 10 work for whom they please Is
[ fair do you think to hold the Hawaii
IN Sugar Planters Association response
lie for their care. or for their expenses
Z they become insane? There is no con-
ract to give them work. but they can I
work for whom they please. and are free ,
gents to change their employment
whenever it suits them. 1t is hardly just
o hold the Planters Association re- {
pOnsible for anyone who may become :
insane.
=
election OF these Porto Ricans; physi- 7
ians made "A careful examination OF ,
hem before they left Porto Rico. and =
VI of 5000 men. one becomes insane. 1t
ost 100000 TO bring them here. an ex Y
ense borne by the Planters Association
D aid the agricultural welfare OF the U
ountry. They were brought to work +
here they pleased. and not under z
he moral control OF the planters. and
re not under contract TO work for any ,
ne person o
DIR. Pratt replied that at the time the ,
ian was found in an insane conuItion be
Ould have reported the facts TO the I'M
ligration Inspector and the man would n
ave been deported on the steamer upon b
hich he had come. However. Mr.. Gil 6,
ian had given assurances that the AS :,
,ciatiOn of which he was then secretary >,
ould care for the man, and upon that .
ssurance the Board Of Health acted He "
d not think IT right that the Territory "
lould be compelled to pay for the sup II
,rt of the Iaborers brought here to work c'
BON the plantations. "
DR. Cooper expressed the same view, 81
I'd is was finally decided TO defer action T
ION the matter until Mr.. Smith had had n
me TO confer with Mr. Gilman. The r
1rtO Rican is still in the asylum. m
BOYD BEFORE THE BOARD
James H. Boyd. Superintendent OF al
Ibllc Works, appeared before the board W
confer upon several matters. He re- on
rted that he had information from of
Dna. Hawaii, that pigs were being rails 60
in Hookena and KiIauea upon swill \,
"a refuse. He. did not think that the "
iustry was conducive TO the health of y
G people Of those two villages. The
alter was referred TO the government ia
ysician At Kona.
Boyd also requested in
for the department 10 be al Ia
we'd To dump garbage upon the Sheri- ca
n street property of the Board OF ar
.alth: the request being granted. He IA
tied also that the garbage service .
Cconunued on Page IA r