No. 16.
Interview with H. Center,
Honolulu, June 24, 1893.
Q. Where do you reside?
A. Spreckelsville, Maui.
Q. What is your occupation.
A. Manager of the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company.
Q. How long have you been in the Hawaiian Islands?
A. Nearly sixteen years.
Q. When a laborer works carelessly, what remedy have you under the law to compel him to work?
A. We sue him for damages in court. If I can prove what is a proper day’s work, and a man does not do it, I can sue him for the amount of work not performed. You can not deduct by law from their pay. We do sometimes deduct and the man stands it because he escapes thereby the cost of court, which is about $3.50 in addition to the loss of pay. If they were paid 50 cents a day, if he did only half a day’s work, we should only sue him for 25 cents, but if he lost his case he would have to pay $3.50 in addition.
Q. If a laborer leaves his employer during the contract term what remedy does the law furnish to compel him to return to his employer?
A. Upon producing the contract before the district judge and entering a complaint the judge issues a warrant, which is served by the Government police, and the party must be tried forty-eight hours after being put in jail. If convicted and it is his first offense on that contract he will be reprimanded, ordered back to work, and charged costs. On the second offense on the same contract he is fined or imprisoned and charged costs if convicted, and after the expiration of his imprisonment ordered back to work. The third offense he is fined or imprisoned three months, and all further offenses are punished at the discretion of the court.
Q. Can the natives generally read and write?
A. Yes; it is very seldom you find a native who can not read and write very well. Generally the Kanaka language, but very frequently English. They are learning more English now.
Q. What is the disposition of the native population towards the Provisional Government?
A. Hostile, altogether hostile, so far as I have come in contact with them. They dread to lose their ancient customs and rights, and also because there was an attempt made to disfranchise them.
Q. What is their general character for uprightness?
A. They are honest and straightforward. They are remarkably toe to any one who is true to them. They would steal nothing.
[Page 741]Q. How do they compare in fitness for the use of the elective franchise with the laboring class of the United States?
A. They compare very well indeed.
Q. If the question of annexation were left to the people of these Islands by a ballot under the Australian system, with the qualification of reading and writing, what, in your opinion, would be the result?
A. There would be an overwhelming majority against annexation. No native who was not influenced would vote for it.
Q. Can you get labor here from European countries to work your plantation successfully?
A. We can not to raise sugar at the world’s price. Of course under the protection of the United States it might be a little better for us. We have now no advantage from the United States.
The shorthand notes of this interview have been read to me by Mr. Mills and they are correct.