ALIENS IN HAWAII

Shannon News, 19 February 1926, Page 4

ALIENS IN HAWAII

THE PROBLEM OF LABOUR NUMBER OF JAPANESE. "Hawaii is faced with a great problem involving alien labour." stated Sir William Mcßeth, of Melbourne. Sir William, who is chairman of the commissioners of the State Savings Bank o'f Victoria and chairman of fn* 6 National Union of Victoria, has been on a holiday trip to Honolulu. "The Japenese are simply swarming on th e island," Sir William said, "Out of a population of 150 r 000 the Japanese number of. 120,000. While the many other coloured races ntermarry, the Japanese seem to keep to themselves and are a vry strong factor Coloured'peoples ar e how prevented by legislation from entering Honolulu and although it has not felt yet this will have a great effect upon labour. vVhen tiie Japanese get some money the yleave th e sugar and pineapple plantations and go into business. Many of them can afford,to let their sons attend the universities and I am afraid ther e -will not be enough positions to take them. The hea'd waiter of one of the best hotels at Honolulu is a Japanese and his sop is at the universty. "The trouble wll come when the coloured peoples leave the land, and there is not enough labour for the plantations. No aliens can now be poured into the islands to take the places of those who leave the plantations. Sir William said it was evident the Japanese intended to make themselves strong on the siand. Since the Act came into force the birtli rate had increased. Hawaii would have a hard task in enforcing the Act and maintaining the export of sugar and pineapples.

"It was in Honolulu 20 years ago and ten years ago," Sr Wllam sad. "It hag grown immehsily and to my mind is on e of the best, holiday resorts to be. found anywhere."