Hilo tribune., 1904-08-05

CltlIcHS aNdlldDle anu III has DcGUl
clearly shown that it would be inn
possible for them to- rely OH citizens
only.
The principal question involved
in restricting Mr.. Whitehouse from
using Asiatie labor is now one of
law inasmuch as his bid being in
accordance with the specifications,
the contract has been signed and
his bond furnished, so | do not
believe that we can restrict him
from any of the privileges noted in
the specifications without placing
this department i'll the position
where a permanent injunction could
be obtained against awarding this
work to any other person. OF
couse, if the contract had not been
signed the matter would he entirely
different aud new tenders could be
called for. should think that it
might be advisable 10 have the opin-
ion of the Attorney General on the
question.
| felt quite sure that the contrac-
tor will employ all citizen labor
available, providing applicants are
willing TO do a days work without
being allowed several hbursto come
and go from their homes during the
eight hours which they are sup
posed to work, and | shall certainly
instruct the inspector OIL the work
10 keep strict watch and report any
failure to conform to the specifica-
tons. On future work I under
stand that you wish it distinctly
understood that bids on citizen la
Dor only will he considered irrespec-
tive of the cost of the work and
| shall act in accordance with your
%structious. Futher action will be
delayed in the matter of the labor
on the Ookala-K ukaiau work until
l have had the pleasure ofhearing
further from you. beg to remain,
Yours respectfully.
c. S. HOLLOWAY,
Superintendent of Public Works.
Subsequently on July 23rd the
Acting Governor responded stating
that he had received information
from reliable sources that there are
fifty citizens around Kukaiau will
ing to work on the contract at cur
rent prices, some of whom have
been denied work by the foreman
in charge, who is a Japanese. Mr..
Atkinson sees no reason why an
Asiatic foreman should be placed
in charge, when there are citizen
lunas available for this work. He
regards this as an evidence OF bad
faith on Warehouses; part. He
says:
81 want to see all public work accom-
plished by c~itizeus, and it is only on ex-
traordinary occasions that non-citizen
labor should be used"
"IfI understand the facts rightly, l
take it that the contract with Mr.. White
house was signed in accordance with the
specifications, and that a bond was fur
nished in accordance with the terms and
conditions Of the contract, and | also
take il that permission to use Asiatic
labor was granted after the contract was
signed and the bond furnished"
IL do not for one moment consider the
clause in the call for tenders that "Con-
tractors shall employ all citizen labor o.
eligible to become citizen that is avail
able, on this work" as giving permits.
sion to the successful bidder to use Asia
tic labor"
Closing he expresses his opinion
that citizen labor can be obtained
and thinks that the permission to
use other than citizen labor should
be revoked.
In response, Supt. Holloway re.
fers certain correspondence from
Mr.. Albert Horner, of the Hama.
kua Road Board, and also a report
of road engineer G. II. Gere as to
conditions making it impossible to
secure citizen labor in Hamakua
and expresses his willingness to re-
fer the whole matter to the Hama
kua Road Board for report. To
this program Atkinson objected in
another communication, in which
he says:
"The question OF referring the matter to