The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-08

The cultivation, if it can be called
such by any courtesy whatever, is en-
tirely different 10 any sugar country L
Rave seen. Flowing, narrowing scarf
flying, a very little wedding by hoes.
ard less trashing, are about all that IS
cone here. The planters say leaving
the trash on helps as a protection
against frost. OF drains inside cane
fields, as understood in Demerara,
there are none, and really none are
reeded. The lands in the district
where I am residing are quite fiat The
soil is loose and porous compared with
that of British Guiana, and it is there
fore much easier worked. The land be-
ing deficient in the qualities of stiff
soils, manure should be applied early,
but the reverse is the case, manure be-
ing used infrequently, and then applied
broadcast instead of TO the cane stools.
Seven years ago, when acre after
acre was being put under cane cultlva-
ton, yield of 100 tons of cane per acre
was the talk; now 20 to 80 tons are
considered good. The Col. S. X. Co,
Ltd, is the only company where really
scientific methods are the rule; really
lated, is made available by them to the
general sugar community. and instead
of being execrated as giant monopoly,
the company should be regarded as
real benefactors to the country. There
is much need for departure from the
present system OF cultivation.
On the other hand, you in Demerara
have no buildings or machinery to sur
pass those here. The most up-to-date
machinery is to be found in most of the
mills as they are called: but in no
instance is the waste worked up into
rum at the mills. The distilleries are
separate concerns and buy the mo-
lasses from the estates.
The laborers employed on the estates
are South Sea Islanders, who are en-
gagged for three years, with return pas
sages at the end of the time. Their
salaries are Sc, 9S and $40 for the
three years. AS contract laborers. they
are paid half-yearly and for whole
time, whether sick or not, whether fair
or wet weather, but they are not re-
quired to work in rainy weather. After.
the expiration of their contract, the Ia
borers may remain as overtime boys at
advanced wages, but their pay is stop
ped each day they are sick or idle, ex-
elusive of wet days. Both contract
and time-expired boys get food and
medical attendance free. The Labor
party are dead against the introduction
of these Polynesian laborers, because
the white are prejudiced thereby. The
party claims that the white man should
do all the work at whatever price the
white man chooses and when he choos-
es. Sad to say, nine out of every ten
of the walk-about white men are in
ferior in industry to the South Sea
boys, for If they were paid as the boys
are paid, not DAY in the three years
but they would be sick or idle in some
way.
These white men greatly resemble
the blacks in your country; if they
Shink they have you in a corner, they
at once demand more money. The
South Sea or Kanaka laborers are gen.
orally reliable and Industrious men. If
the Labor party were to succeed in
prohibiting the introduction of Poly
nesians, the sugar industry would be
ruined. The Labor party howl that the
Kanaka is cheap and dirty, but that
is not true to any extent. If Kanaka
labor is abolished, no sugar estate can
exist unless coolies, Japanese, or some
other kindred kinds are brought in, for
history repeats itself. After the blacks
were freed with you, they would not
work except at five shillingS a day; SO
would the whites do here, resulting in
the collapse and ruin of many, while
none would be benefited.
Overtime boys often get fifteen
shIllings week lately, but the general
run of wages is ten and twelve shil-
lings. The boys" know their value
now, and a tried and seasoned boy"
is valuable to any owner. The boys
seers. but up north "ganger" is the
name, and the proper one, too. for the
so-called managers are only overseers
as we understand the name, although
their dignity would be much hurt if so
called. The "ganger" has thirty to
s1aratz
walking every morning at $50, gets
breakfast and dinner sent TO the fields,
If he is a married man having his
own cottage; if not, he has to get his
breakfast before going to make line,
as the inspection of boys before work
is called. The boys also have their
breakfast before going out, or carry 1t
in their hands. Dinner has to go to
the field to all, except the work is near
at home, and it is eaten anywhere at
the work. Knockout" time is to be
at the mill, where houses mostly are.
when the bell rings at p. IN. All day
the ganger goes about among the boys,
or stands where he can see some oc-
casionally. The boys are simply driv-
en- to do as much as can be got out
of them in these hours. as there are
no tasks, and niger driver" is an
apter term here than it ever was with
us in the Old days.
you. are the only persons who ride, and
one or two of these do all the overlook
ing. and to a great extent a lot of
work, such as getting plows
ready for fields, showing trucks, clear
ing drains. etc, all of which would be
far better done by the men paid for
such work. as the amateurs only keep
work back, and necessarily make it
more expensive.
All men, black or white. are rationed,
that is every one gets beef, bread, etc,
and cooks are supplied by estates for
everyone except married men who have
houses. They get their supplies from
butcher, baker and stores, to do with
what they like. and, of course, can eat
at any time suitable out of working
hours. The single laborers get break
fast a [ $50 n. m. dinner at II m. and
supper at to $50 p. m, and they can
their meals with anything
they choose to buy and can get cooked.
Beef is at every meal in one way or