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HAWAII AND JAPAN.
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[May 6. 13)7
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
blished the kingdom, and if this as effective vitality of the Chamber. One of sembly of island notables succeeds in its consequences, however, is that it leaves picking a quarrel with Japan, would it little that is new to be embodied in the be worth the while of either Great Britain annual report or said at the annual meeting. or the United States to take up the cudgels The most important subjects touched upon were the opening of the West River and the on their behalf? For it stands to reason that the island Government: could not settlement of the transit pass question in exist a day if Japan made cause of quarrel the Two Kwang, and the community at with it. The United States would not wish large will heartily endorse the encomiums to see Hawaii become a colony of Japan, passed upon Sir CLAUDE MACDONALD and nor probably would Great Britain care to Mr. E. H. FRASER, the Acting Consul at have the Japanese established in the Canton, in connection with these matters. Pacific in a position of such strategical The question of an increase of the Chinese importance; but it is not at all impossible tariff, though important, is still in the clouds that such a fate may befal the islands if and does not call for special notice in a their Government does not go warily, review of the Chamber's meeting. The The latter have apparently taken alarm, questions mentioned which are still pending at the increasing numbers of the Japanese are of purely local interest. Taking these immigrante, and have rather tactlessly in the order in which they are referred to to hand, to we come first to the complaint as to the late sought, by the first means impose a check on their influx into the delivery of the mails. The Chairman, Mr. islands. The only result has been to provoke HERBERT SMITH, said that though increased accommodation had been provided for the an issue; the Tokyo Government are now alive to the fact that Japanese are un-Post Office, the lack of which was believed welcome in Hawaii, and they have strongly to be the cause of the delay that occurred protested against this new method of dealing in the delivery of the mails, he regretted with unwished for immigrants. The United that he could not record any improvement in States Government are reported to be send- the administration of the Department, delays ing a man-of-war to Honolulu, but it is in the delivery of the mails being more fre- unlikely that they would do more than givequent than ever, to the great inconvenience the Hawaiian Republic moral support if it of the entire commercial community. This came to an open rupture with Japan. The is a serious complaint, and, unfortunately, latter meantime will not go out of her way it is only too well founded. The Postmaster- to raise a quarrel, but she will be sure to General's annual report, which will shortly keep a sharp look out on the actions of the be published, may explain the reason and Hawaiian Government in future. Nor is suggest the remedy, but however this may it likely that Japan will consent to abandon be it is certain that the present state of the islands as a field for emigration because things cannot be allowed to continue, ià- her people are not acceptable to the newly definitely. If the Postmaster-General can- fledged Republic.. There are not so many not himself secure the necessary facilities outlets for Japanese surplus labour that the for carrying on the work of his department Tokyo Government can afford to relinquish his hands will have to be strengthened by one where the conditions are, so eminently the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry. favourable not alone for their remunerative The other matters to which we propose, to 1. employment but also for their efficient refer arise out of the Hon. T. H. WHITE protection. Had the Japanese only dis- BEAD's speech. The hon. gentleman is to covered this field some twenty years earlier, bé congratulated or the vigour with which, there is little doubt but that the islands standing alone in Council, he fought the would have in good time fallen under their light dues question, and on the success dominion. Matters are complicated now which has attended his efforts and the re- by the presence of a large Chinese element, presentations of the shipping community. while the ruling element is Caucasian and Another matter mentioned by the hon. the United States takes them under the gentleman was the sanitation of the colony protection of the Stars and Stripes. Unless, and the amendment of the Public Health sees Ordinance. He complains of the inaction however, the American Republic fit to abandon its traditional policy of the Government, but seeing that Hawaii into the a Commission was appointed in con- and incorporate United States, the chances are still not so nection with the subject very remote that this beautiful group will see that the Government is greatly to one day become a portion of the "Mikado's be blamed for deferring action until it has the Commission's report before it, for Empire."
the legislation to be passed will be the more likely to meet the requirements if it is founded on the most complete informa- tion. Mr. WHITEHEAD also mentioned the opium tax and the method of its collection. The Farm system, he says, is not only antiquated but seriously affects the freedom of the port. The alternative suggested by Mr. WHITEHEAD is a bonded warehouse and a fixed duty on all opium not bona fide exported in a raw state. The evils of the present system are great
The continued existence of the Hawaiian Islands as an independent state may pos sibly, prove impracticable owing to the personnel of their population. The natives no longer form even a majority of the inhabitants and there are at least four large sections of the population who may at any time cause the sudden downfall of the administration if not a condition of revolu- | tion. The probable number of inhabitants is about 90,000, of whom at least 20,000 are Chinese, 15,000 Japanese, 9,000 Portuguese, and some 10,000 to 12,000 other whites The of European or American descent. balance represents the natives and half breeds. It will be apparent, therefore, that any measure affecting the interests of one of these large sections of the population is liable at any time to create trouble and perhaps bring the administrative machine to a deadlock. A difficulty has lately arisen, the final issue of which it is not easy to foresee. The Japanese emigration to the islands has been going on steadily for many years, and the emigrants have found profit able employment there. Many of them send considerable sums of money (the fruit of their labour on the plantations) home to Japan, and a good number have also re- turned to the land of the Rising Sun with their savings. Having found the islands a lucrative field for their labour, if not exactly an El Dorado, the Japanese peasants flock there in the hope of bettering their condi- tion by amassing a little capital. The Hawaiian Government appear, however, to think the country contains a sufficient number of Japanese, and have determined to restrict the number, On the arrival recently of the steamer Shinchiu Maru at Honolulu with 655 emigrants only 124 were permitted to land, on the ground that their landing was contrary to certain regula- tions relating to the landing of immigrants. It seems that 180 of the emigrants, sent by the Kobe Toko Kaisha, really violated the regulations under which immigration is allowed, notably that requiring each man to have in his possession the sum of fifty dollars. The other 351 men, shipped under the auspices of the. Nippon Emigration Company of Osaka and a similar body of Hiroshima were so provided, but the Hawaiian Government rejected them on the ground that, so soon as they were landed, they would have to return the money to the companies who had shipped them. Whether this is the fact we are not in a position to say; probably it is a very good guess at the truth. But the measure adopted, compelling their return, seems high handed to the Japanese, and has certainly given offence to the Government and Press of Tokyo. The result is that a Japanese man-of-war has been despatched to Honolulu, and the Yomiuri Shimbun is excitedly asking what the Consul-General in Hawaii was about to permit the affront to Japan. The affair will probably end in the protest now being made by the Japanese Government, and a little flourish with the warship,—for the time.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING.
The remarks made by Mr. T. JACKSON at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be endorsed by the members and the community generally. The Cham- ber, as Mr. JACKSON says, has never shown itself more energetic or more useful than during the past year, and if it per- severes with the same energy, moderation,
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we cannot
and ability its efforts will be entirely in and a rich meed of prai and indisputable
But for the future? The Japanese Govthe right direction and will do a great deal. ernment are developing a policy add a of good. The usefulness of the Chamber navy, and as the latter is costing a vast has been materially enhanced by the sum, it is not impossible they may wish some practice now adopted of publishing abstracts fine day to turn it to profitable account. of the proceedings of the Committee, a When Japan has acquired the greatest matter to which approving reference was: navy in Asia, and has become one of the made by Mr. C. S. SHARP in-seconding the Powers of the world, is it not adoption of the report. This policy of likely she will seriously object to her sub- keeping the community informed of jects being debarred from settling in the what is being done serves as a healthy Hawaiian Islands? The present republic stimulus to public opinion, strengthens the established at Honolulu forcibly disesta- | hands of the Committee, and increases the
maritime
awaits the man who can show the colony how these evils can be abolished without detriment to the Whether the establishment of a revenue. bonded warehouse would meet the case seems at first view somewhat doubtful, but the scheme has not yet been fully formu- lated, and Mr. WHITEHEAD may have recommendations to make that will over- come the difficulties. Speaking, however, on the matter as it stands it would seem that even though - a bonded warehouse were established and a fixed duty charged on all
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