The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-04-19
NO ACTION ON
RICE INDUSTRY
,(contlnued from poge one)

,(Contlnued from page one)
to secure "a diversion OF half Of the
customs revenues to the Territory.
The report Of the board OF trustees
was read and then two letters from
Delegate Kuhio and the other from his
secretary George 3. Mcclellan, were
read. McClellan's communication call
ed attention to the fact that U. s. Sem
atOr j. 3. Foraker had stated that he
might visit Hawaii If he came west to
attend the Lewis and Clarke EXPOSE
ton at Portland which opens this
summer 1t was suggested that an. in
vitation be extended to Senator For
aker to visit Hawaii as the guest of
the commercial bodies. 1t was finally
decided to refer the entire matter to
the committee on reception and enter
tainment.
The letter from Kuhio requested that
the Chamber take some action to make
suggestions regarding desired changes
in the Organic Act and also asked es-
pecially that the chamber make some
recommendation upon the advisabilitq
of the attempt to have the Organic
Act so amended that half Of the GUS
toms receipts could be paid back to the
islands i'm the way of Federal improve
ments. 1t was realized, the letter
pointed out, that no legislation seeking
to directly divert the receipts could be
secured but it was thought some agree
ment might be reached whereby at
least half of the money could come
back to the islands. This would be in
a modified way similar to the policy
pursued with Porto Rico. This mat
ter was referred to a special commit
tee to be appointed by the chair.
Mcclellan made a short address in
which he called attention to the ad
visibility of all of the commercial
bodies working in unity on any matter
before Congress He spoke of the ex-
cellent work that had been done by
this method last year, in securing the
harbor and other appropriations for
Hawaii
The report of the committee on Com
merce, Manufacturing and Agriculture
relative to the rice industry i'm these
islands, was read. This report had
been made to the trustees but the lat
ter had taken no action so it was de-
cided to present the report to the gem
eral meeting of the chamber for con-
sderation. The report went at some
length, into the conditions of the Ha-
waiian rice industry and showed the
prospect to be very gloomy. The fig
ures for the year ending July 1, 1904
showed that there had been imported
into these islands 163, 233 bags of Japa-
nese rice, 23,496 bags of Louisiana and
Texas rice while the home production
had amounted to 2S0,OOO bags. The
total island consumption was only 2SO,-
900 bags leaving a surplus of 116, 729
! bags. This surplus was local rice and
was equal to nearly half of the Ha-
waiian crop forced the local planters to
dispose of all of their crop at a. price
less than cost. Figures of the cost of
production were given showing that
the Hawaiian rice cost 1915 a bag to
raise. The report offered no SUCCESS
tions as to the solution of the situation
but stated i'm effect that the conditions
were very serious and unless some
be that about half of the planters
would be forced to go out of business.
There was a short discussion over
the situation. c. NJ. Cooke stated that
owners had reduced the rental of rice
lands from so per cent to 10 per cent
so it would seem that they had done
their share toward aiding the planters.
There was a disposition on the part of
some of those present not to have the
report printed in full. No action was
taken in regard to the matter, although
it was suggested that the matter be
referred to a committee of people in
terested and identified with the rice
industry.
w Pfotenhauer was elected a trus-
tee vice H. A. Isenberg who will be
absent from Honolulu the greater part
of the year. The meeting adjourned.