THE CHINESE NEW YEAR

BRINGS GRIEF TO THOSE AT QUARANTINE.

They are in Bonds and in Prison on the Greatest Festival of the Celestial Calendar.

The Chinese at Quarantine have other griefs than that of being refused a landing and their grief extends to and is shown by their friends and countrymen throughout the Islands.

The Chinese New Years is approaching, the greatest festival of the Chinese calendar. And to be in bonds or in prison or on high seas at that time is considered one of the greatest calamities that can befall a Confucian Chinese man. But it looks as though the rejected Chinese would be both in bonds and in prison on the coming new year, which falls on February 10th.

Special Chinese Inspector Brown and Secretary of the Chinese Bureau Girvin are beseiged with inquiries about the matter and requests to be permitted to send New Year’s presents and greetings and delicacies to friends in quarantine so that the day can be observed in some sort there.

Every opportunity will be afforded to friends ashore to send whatever messages or presents they may desire, and to enable the waiting Chinese to celebrate the festival at quarantine. The only restriction on this is that the messages must first be submitted to Secretary Girvin so that there shall be no correspondence to evade the law; and presents must be  submitted for the inspection of the quarantine officials for similar reasons.

There is no intention or desire on the part of the officials to hamper or prevent communication between Chinese at quarantine and friends ashore. But it must be done through the proper channel to enable the officials to carry out the law.

The probabilities are that the quarantine station this year will see such festivities and celebration as it has never seen before.

(Hawaii Star, 1/25/1899, p. 5)

Hawaiian Star, Volume V, Number 2092,  Page 5. January 25, 1899.