The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-07-23
THINKS CLAIMS
ARE RIGHTFUL
COUNSELLOR STEVENS OF THE
JAPANESE LEGATION MEETS
2 LOCAL CLAIMANTS.
BASES OPINION ON ACT OF
LEGISLATURE.
win Confer With Consul and Dele
gates Who Will Accompany Him to
Japan.

ID. W. Stevens, counsellor to the Jap
anese Legation at Washington, Is a
passenger ON board the Doric en- .oute
to Japan. While here he will confer
with Consul Mkt Saito and the COM
mittee of thirty who stood back of
their cOuntrymens claims and now
have them in charge. Mkt Saito and
ether prominent Japanese were on the
wharf as the Doric came in and an
appointment was made with Mr.. Stew
ems for twelve thirty this noon at the
Japanese consulate on Nuuanu avenue.
Mr.. Stevens was reucent as to his
opinion or position regarding the fire
claims. Really / have nothing to say
except that l am back here once more
and find the islands just as beautiful
as ever. Mr.. Pratt will tell you all
about the fire claims when he returns
] am going to be quite busy during the
little time that we are in port and L
really have nothing to say even IL We
can find time for an interview"
In the brief talk that followed re-
garding the status of the fire claims
awards and warrants and the question
as to the legal right of the japanese,
as aliens, to require financial recon-
pense from the local government for
damages sustained uurlng the plague
fire, Mr.. Stevens would say but little.
Admitting that the legislation OF the
Republic OIL hawaii as modified by the
Organic Act did not include such
claims among the complaints under
which the government could be sued
for damages, Mr.. Stevens held that the
succeeding act of the legislature did
make such claims valid.
''I consider that these claims are le-
gal to the amount of their awards, y
was all the counsellor would say. Il
must refer you to these gentlemen" "
pointing to the japanese who were
with him. I'VE have arranged meet
ing for today and they can tell you all
about it. L really cannot be quoted on
this matter. Good morning"
There seems to be an impression
among many of the claimants, which
is now nullified by Mr.. Stevens opin-
ion, that even in the event of cashing
their warrants to the amount of the
awards as given out by the Fire Claims
board they would have a still unsatis-
fled and legal claim for the balance of
the amount at which they assessed
their damages.
ShiozaWa and IshiSawa the two del
egates appointed from the committee
of thirty to act in all fire claims mat
ters will leave today in the Doric with
Mr.. Stevens, according to present
plans, they having been endorsed by
the consul. These gentlemen will take
the awards as given out by the Fire
Claims Commissioners, amounting to
$3.50, 900 and present the same at the
Foreign Office at Toxic. The Terri
torial warrants will thus be ignored by
the Japanese claimants who hope that
the awards will be forwarded to the
Secretary of State al Washington with
a request for payment The appeal
through the Japanese Imperial govern
ment is made from the standpoint OF
the local Japanese as aliens. The Jap
anese community is said to be very
anxious to get some early settlement
of their claims, as otherwise many
merchants whose resources were Grip
pled in the fire will be Obliged to go in
to bankruptcy The Japanese claim
further that they could not afford to
lose a discount no matter how slight,
their claims having already been re-
duced fifty per cent by the commits
sioners, owing it is said, to the un-
avoidable absence of many of the
claimants who were unable to protest
or give evidence that would prevent
the cutting down of their claims
1t was stated that the Chinese would
confer with Mr.. Stevens but no rep
-esentative of that nation met him on
arrival, nor Is 1t thought by the Jap
anese that Mr.. Stevens, being retained
as constant counsel for the Japanese
legation, could act for Chinese claim
ants at any rate without the consent
of the legation.
Mr.. Stevens was met by several mu-
tual friends of himself and r. w. IT.
win, late minister to Japan for the
Kingdom of Hawaii, who is also a pas
senger aboard the Doric on his way tC
Japan.