The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-07-19
The Oriental Fire
Claimants to
Act.
WILL APPEAL TO
TOXIC AND PEKINC
Japanese Commission Going Home
TO Plead Chinese Delegate
May Fellow Suit.

EKIS Imperial japanese Majest.
will be appealed to by the Jap
anese fire claimants in Hawaii 8
aid them in getting speedy re
turns from the awards just made By
the Fire Claims Commission. AS aliens
in foreign land. the Japanese claim
ants, through their Consul in Horolu-
IN, regard 1t as their natural right 10
appeal to their home government in
this matter, and it is believed by them
that when the case is presented to the
Secretary of State at Washington by
the Toxic Government, Congress may
be asked by the President to Day the
bin.
When the Doric leaves Honolulu for
Yokohana on July %. Messrs. c.. Shio-
zaWa, proprietor of the Hawaii ShInpo,
and r. Ishikawa, editor of the Yamato
Shimbun, viii depart as the delegates
OF the committee of thirty which has
japanese. to appear before the Foreign
once. The two gentlemen have the
endorsement of Hon. Mkt Saito, tne
Japanese Consul, and the latter will
do everything in his power TO have TIE
matters brought to the attention of the
Japanese Foreign Office at the earliest
possible date. He endorses all the acts
of the committee of thirty. On the
steamer the delegates win meet and
confer with Hon D. w. Stevens. coun-
sellor for the Japanese Legation at
Washington. who has been called to
Toxic on important governmental busi
ness. It is understood at the local con-
suIate that Mr.. Stevens has instructions
TO obtain complete information here re-
garding the claims. and the delegates
Will supply him with data.
The reasons given at the consulate
for this latest move is that although
the certificates call for warrants to be
issued by the Territorial Treasurer,
there Is no guarantee that they will be
paid when due, or that the Territory
can pay for them in the next year.
The warrants call for payment of
awards on three different dates. The
members of the committee of thirty, 1
uAich practically stood behind all the
original 26oo claims presented by Jap
aneSe, have ascertained that the banks
will not negotiate the warrants and
that business houses will not accept
them in payment of debts for the face
value shown on them. Spectators are
said to be already in the field offering
10 discount the warrants at % and so
per cent of their face, but as this would
cut down the claims as originally en-
tered to but a tithe of the amounts
asked for. the committee has decided
that the Japanese had better wait un-
til there is an assurance that they can
recover. If possible. the face value OF
he awards. i
IL has been decided that no warrants
due against the certificates held by the
committee will be drawn. but the en-
tire matter be placed in the hands of
The two delegates and Mr.. Stevens. and
Isken before the Japanese government
with q request that speedy action be
used to have the entire matter called to
he Secretary of States attention.
There were originally 2600 claimants. /
# which number about 1900 appeared &
before the commission. About one a
ourth OF the claimants departed from !
some going 10 other islands, Z
iome to the mainland, while others |
ave returned 20 Japan. The bulk of a
he claims were assigned to and han II
lied by the committee of thirty. Consul 5
;aito making a personal effort to have II
nc Claims fairly adjusted. AS more I
han half the claimants were absentees II
heir claims were given short shrift and
-ere cut down right and left. The 9TH y
RS were acted upon fairly well, the r
mounts awarded ranging from so to so )
er cent As far as the judgments of o
ie court are concerned. the Japanese q
Dnlnittee appears to be satisfied. =
The committee has received the