The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-07-14
HOW THE NEW STATION =.
HANDLES IMMIGRANTS
No Easy Task for the japanese to- Qualify for
Landing, Especially the Women Arrivals
Rigid Enforcement Of the Law.

The Asatic passengers on the Coptic
who numbered about 120, were handled
at the new immigration Station yes
contrast with the old methods in vogue
before the new station was opened. And
the way things are done there is inter-
esting.
Upon receiving the immigrants. who,
in this case, were almost entirely Jap
anese, they were examined by the doc
tor for trachoma and other diseases,
and those who did not pass the first
examination were put in separate
room for further examination later on.
The rest were diverted to the registra-
ton department, long room with run
ways, on either side of which We're
benches. At the further end of the
IuiWdyS tiie 1i4SpCClOlS oetL at tACli
desks and the immigrants passed be-
fore them for examination. They We're
asked some twenty or more questions
like the following: Name, age, sex,
nationality, ability to read or write, by
whom was passage paid, have they
been here before, have they friends or
relatives here, amount of money pos
sessed, ever in prison. ever a polygamist,
or an anarchist? Some of the questions
steamship people on the way over and
this saves the inspectors considerable
time.
Many of the immigrants land with as
little money as Is cents or dollar, and
few havesmore than S.. However, the
steamship companies, to protect them
selves in case the immigrant is re-
jected and returned, force him to buy
round-trip ticket, and in case he lands
safely he is refunded $50.
One peculiar thing in the, examina-
ton is the fact that very often Japan
csc apear who cannot speak Japanese
but have a dialect Of their own. These
people come from Okinawa Island,
which is near japan. It is said that
they make the best laborers and are
lsontented to stay where they find work.
In case one of these men appears,
japanese is found who speaks both Ian
guages and he acts as interpreter
The women are always detained for
further examination Or until their hus-
bands call for them. but the men, after
registration, are free to leave as soon
as their baggage has been examined.
The women are then put through a
further course Of questioning as to
their past lives, who their husbands
are, what kind of marriage ceremony
took place, how long their husbands
have been here, where they worked
and where they expect to meet them.
One Japanse woman among those who
arrived here yesterday said that her
husband had been working here for
nine years and they had become en-
gagged by letter. He sent her the money
to come here, and said he would meet
her upon her arrival. With nothing
more than that the women come and
il passed, await the arrival Of their
husbands Sometimes the latter are
on hand, sometimes a week late II
they live on the other islands, but the
law compels the little women to await
their lords and masters.
When the husband or f1ancee does
come, however, it is not to claim his
bride Immediately. First he must
answer enough questions to corrobor-
ate the statements formerly made by
the woman. If both statements agree,
the couple are married if they have not
been in Japan, and photographed to-
gether. After all these precautions,
should either one ever come to the
notice Of the inspectors as having a
spouse, other than the one in the photo
graph, there is generally material for
a case In the courts.
But the inspection Is nothing COM
pared to the reception the immigrants
get the moment they pass off the short