The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-30

ideals set by the Federal authorities;
already the percentage Of oriental lab
or employed by the plantations Is de-
creaslng as is evidenced from the re-
port of the Governor of Hawaii for
1911, page 40, wherein the Governor
shows that where the percentage of
labor employed in the sugar industry
was only twelve per cent non-asiatic,
in 1899, i'm 1908 is was 10 per cent, In
1910 twenty.four per cent and in 1911
27S3 per cent.
In order to induce the new immt-
grants to raise the cane that has for
merly been raised solely by the orien-
tails, naturally a material increase in
the price became necessary, in which
all the old growers as well became
The benefciaries, with the result that
there has been a substantial increase
in the cost of ton of sugar landed
at market.
Wages Have Increased.
In order to satisfy those who pre-
ferred to remain day laborers rather
than become cane farmers, it was ne
cessary to increase the average wage
by 33 1-3 per cent and more recently,
in addition to this, an increase in the
years wage of / per cent for every
dollar ton of sugar sold for in New
York in excess of $40.
In addition to this increase of wages
t became necessary TO materially
raise the standard of living and the
quarters of the laborers who are now
supplied with houses, water, gardens,
fuel and medical attention practical
~ without cost to them, but we find
the cost per month per laborer to us
for these perquisites is about 50, and
this expense remains the same wheth-
er the man works one day or twenty
six AS practically all of the planta-
tons are so situated that they cam
not call in floating labor at times
when extra hands are necessary, the
maximum number of laborers requir.
cd must be kept on the payroll at
all times. with the result that during
dull seasons work must be found for
those extra hands, which disadvantage
is also responsible for an additional
expense not found in countries where
such extra labor is discharged when
it is no longer profitable to employ
it. Prior to annexation we laid the
men off two or three days a week and
they could not leave the plantation as
they would now if such holidays were
forced upon them.
The old system common to tropical
countries of housing laborers in bar
racks has given place to the erection
of detached houses with gardens, many
Of which have water piped to them
and many of the creature comforts
common to the occidental standard o.
living, on the whole superior to thost
found in the mining and manulactur
ing localities on the mainland AN
which are invariably absent in al
quarters of the world employing 6;
cheapest labor.
Taxes Also Higher.
Taxes have increased, in some in
stances three-foud, not so much
through raising the rate as by trebl
ing the assessed valuation. All prop
erty, both personal and real, is taxet
at full and in many instances above
the real value, and in addition a
per cent income tax on all incomes
in excess of $500, ana an additiona
one of per cent on those in exces;
of $4,000 l might add also that al
corporations in Hawaii are subjec
to and pay the Federal corporation
tax. Hence it can be seen that thu
expense per ton of sugar in the wa!
OF taxes is very much larger thai
| formerly. and more than in the cast