The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-12-15
CONSERVATION or rHe
PLANTATION LABOR
Resume Of Conditions and Improvements Sug-
gested by S. Sheba - Changes in
Japan Makes Living Dearer

Large numbers Of Japanese planta.
ton laborers are leaving the Territory
Of Hawaii annually for their own eoun.
try in hopes that their savings while
here win permit them to live comfort.
ably as middle class farmers in Japan.
Up to recently the number thus leaving
the Territory was becoming greater and
greater, so much so, in fact, that 1t
soon became evident that some steps
should be taken to stop Il, particularly
MS many Of the laborers were led to re-
turn by erroneous reasoning and also as
conditions that led others TO leave
could easily be rectified.
One of the factors to be considered,
although not by any means one of the
most important, is that many Of those
hborers who are now leaving this Ter
ritory to end their days in japan left
their native land at time when con
ditions were materially different than
they are now, fact which they have
not fully taken into consideration.
Living is much higher, property values
and taxes have gone up and other
changes are noticed by the returning
Japanese and he soon finds that the
savings which he has counted upon to
place him in comfortable circumstances
are far from being able to accomplish
what he expected.
The Hawaii Shinpo, some time ago,
Leommenced an educational campaign in
| tended to set the actual facts before
! both the planters and the laborers, be-
lieving that this was all that was nee
cessary to keep our laborers here, and
this has proved to be true. Other Japa-
nese papers have Joined the campaign.
We have written to prominent Japa-
nese residing on every island asking
for their opinions on the relations be-
tween the Japanese laborers and the
planters and what, in their estimation,
arc the principle causes of the Japanese
desire to return to his own country
rather than continue his residence here.
Letters were then sent to the officials
of almost every village in Japan. These
contained a list of questions covering
general conditions and answers to these
are being received in every mail. They
are being read with avidity. Prizes
were then offered for essays on this
subject and these have, between them,
fully covered the situation and supplied
material from all classes and all parts
of the Territory upon which can be
based an intelligent campaign to keep
our laborers here.
1t would perhaps be interesting to
give example of the letters received
from Japan. These are proving to be
position and there have been many
/ IL I'll n
( buy their ticket home, have decided
l to wait several years more before re-
turning. They are answers, also, which
are unanswerable, for it is safe to say
that the every Japanese in Hawaii has
read, in the columns of the Japanese
press, letters from the authorities Of
his own native village accurately de-
scribing conditions there. Here, for in
stance are the questions forwarded to
land answered by, the authorities of the
village of Kita hojo.
Q.-"What would it cost family OF
4 fve-parents and three children to
live in moderate circumstances in yonI
village3"
Att would cost about thirty five
yen month. 7"
o.-''what is the tax to be borne by
each family7"
A.-Thirteen and half yen year
Q.-What would it cost to build az
lordinary farm house9'
A.-t'Y $500. ($2250.)
Regarding the price of food the fol
lowing answers have, more than any
thing else, impressed the local japanese
O.-What is the cost of one che
(about two and a half acres) of ric'
landi
Q.-What is the market price of ric'
in your district
A.-W oil a koku Give bushels
O. Buckwheat9
A.-Y 8 1-2 q koku.
Q.-Green beans3
A.-Y. 10 ~ kOku.
Q.-Red beans7
A.--Y 13 a koku.
Q.-What is the price of one kokl
(liquid, four gallons) of sOya.
A.-Y 38.
n Q. Sugari
A.-S yen, 20 sen, for sixteen pounds
A.-Y AS for -four gallons.
Q.-Tobaceof
Al ~ AVf oAo haA A9f2 PvNNe3'i
Q.-Yinegari
Al yen, 20 sen kolEu.
Such questions as these were also a.
l swered;
Q.-How much money do you think
, Japanese in Hawaii should save befoI
returning home.
A.-About Y 1000. (ss500)
Q.-Are the japanese who returned
your village from Hawaii anxious 70 y
turn heFef
Ayes.
2 q What u tho division u crop b
z tween tbs landlord and ienantl
J. A-The tenani gets beiNeen fort
. hfe apd hfty per nenf ~ the crop,
sueh answers ~ these aYe lhe FeFQl
, 81 shat most ~ che laboFeFs SOU
], haqe expected had tbpg been questions
y fifei. IlaF hasN made no ealfuiafif