Category Archives: Taxation

Did you see today’s post from Bishop Museum’s He Aupuni Palapala?

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A few weeks earlier that month, this appeared in the PCA and surely was one of the reasons for the meeting.

The following document, with the signatures appended, has been handed us for publication. The resolutions will doubtless be presented at the next regular meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, which occurs on the 5th instant. We will add that two members of the Chamber who are now absent from the city would in all probability sign this document:

The undersigned members of the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu, hereby assent to the following resolutions:

Resolved, That in our opinion His Majesty’s Government in view of the condition of the business interests of this country should endeavor to negotiate a Treaty of Reciprocity with the United States.

Resolved, That we would advise the cession of Pearl River harbor [Pearl Harbor] to the United States for naval purposes it desired by the United States, to secure such a Treaty.

H. A. P. Carter, for C. Brewer & Co.; S. C. Allen, for Walker & Allen; J. B. Atherton, for Castle & Cooke; M. Louisson, for M. S. Grinbaum & Co.; A. W. Peirce; J. C. Glade, for H. Hackfeld & Co.; H. M. Whitney; J. T. Waterhouse, Jr., for J. T. Waterhouse; Afong & Achuck, per Yim Quon; B. F. Dillingham, for Dillingham & Co.; Henry May; William W. Hall, for E. O. Hall & Son; J. G. Dickson, for Lewers & Dickson; Theodore C. Heuck, per C. F. Pfluger; F. Banning, for Edward Hoffschlaeger & Co.; F. A. Shaefer; B. F. Bolles; A. S. Cleghorn, for A. S. Cleghorn & Co.; Alexander J. Cartwright; George C. McLean.

(PCA, 3/1/1873, p. 2)

Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Vol. XVII, No. 35, Page 2. March 1, 1873.
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Much more on the protest mat, 1990.

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For much, much more on Kalai’s mat of protest, see Roger G. Rose’s “Patterns of protest : a Hawaiian mat-weaver’s response to 19th-century taxation and change,” found in Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, Vol. 30 (June 1990). It can be found online by clicking here below:

Patterns of protest : a Hawaiian mat-weaver’s response to 19th-century taxation and change

Patterns of protest : a Hawaiian mat-weaver’s response to 19th-century taxation and change, Roger G. Rose

Kalai’s fame spreads to far away Pennsylvania, 1874.

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[Found under: “Varieties.”]

King Kalakaua, of the Sandwich Islands, has requested an old woman named Kalai, who sent him a mat into which she had woven a petition praying for the removal of taxes on animals, to weave two mats, one with the American and the other with the English coat-of-arms, to be exhibited at our Centennial Exhibition as specimens of Hawaiian handiwork.

[There is mention of this also in the National Republican (Washington, DC) on 6/19/1874.]

(Juniata Sentinel and Republican, 6/24/1874, p. 1)

King Kalakaua...

Juniata Sentinel and Republican, Volume XXVIII, Number 25, Page 1. June 24, 1874.

The famous Niihau protest mat on display at the Bishop Museum, 1874 / 2015.

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[Found under: “NOTES OF THE WEEK.”]

A Valuable Gift.—His Majesty received on Monday last a choice Niihau mat, presented to him by Mr. George Gay of Niihau. In this mat is wrought in red letters, a petition, praying that the taxes may be removed on all animals, and for other changes in the laws. The petition, which is in Hawaiian, is quite lengthy, and when copied off covered a page and a half of cap paper. It is the handiwork of an old woman named Kalai, who has been occupied 11 months in making it. She commenced it to give to the late Lunalilo, but on hearing of his death and the election of Kalakaua, sent it to the latter. His Majesty has requested her to work tow mats for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition—one to show the American coat-of-arms and the other the British coat-of-arms, designs of which will be sent to her to copy. Should she execute the order, these will be very attractive specimens of Hawaiian handiwork.

—Some years ago a native brought to us a Niihau mat three fathoms in length and less than one in width, in which was wrought in red letters the Lord’s prayer in Hawaiian. It was beautifully done, and must have cost him many months of labor. We engaged to take it at his price, but before he delivered it, he found a customer who offered him just double what he had valued it at. Such specimens are very rare, and of course valuable. If made by days’ work, it would be valued at hundreds of dollars.

[This mat was put on display at the Bishop Museum just yesterday. Go check it out if you are on Oahu nei.]

(Hawaiian Gazette, 4/29/1874, p. 3)

A Valuable Gift.

Hawaiian Gazette, Volume X, Number 17, Page 3. Aprila 29, 1874.

Hawaii and the United States, 1911.

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Hawaii is a Gold Mine for America

According to the report by the treasurer of the Territory of Hawaii, D. L. Conkling, in the 12 years which have passed since the annexation of Hawaii to America, the income just from duties during that time come to more than $15,000,000, more than the other states of the United States. In the past year, Hawaii paid $1,772,869 in income taxes and duties to the coffers of America.

The rest of the states fell behind Hawaii in duties and income taxes, and therefore what we say about Hawaii being a gold mine for America is true; it is Hawaii who gave it to America then asked questions.

All of the expenses for the forts and the dredging of the harbors are paid for by Hawaii’s dollars, and America suffers nothing for Hawaii.

(Kuokoa Home Rula, 8/11/1911, p. 1)

HE LUA GULA O HAWAII NO AMERIKA

Kuokoa Home Rula, Buke IX, Helu 32, Aoao 1. Augate 11, 1911.

Custom House, 1895.

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Custom House of Honolulu.

We are adorning these columns of the Kuokoa with a picture of the grand Hale Oihana Dute of Honolulu nei, at the corner of Fort [Papu] and Allen [Alani] Streets. this building was built during the reign of Kamehameha IV., and it was added to at various times when it was found that it was not adequate for the incoming goods to be stored, so it has become very long and wide. This is the entrance [makaha] into the nation, where goods from foreign lands are stored, and duty is collected on taxable items, and not only that, the owners pay a fee for care of their goods in this building by the government. There is a big force of government employees in this bureau under the Department of Finance [Oihana Waiwai], starting with the collector-general and the deputy-collector, and down to the secretary and the storekeeper, guards, and so forth. The money expended to rebuild or perhaps extend this entrance comes from the revenues of the growing public funds due to the duties charged by this entity.

(Kuokoa, 3/16/1895, p. 2)

Ka Hale Oihana Dute o Honolulu.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XXXIV, Helu 11, Aoao 2. Maraki 16, 1895.

More on the taxing of leprosy patients, 1876.

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The Leprosy Patients are Taxed.

O Lahui Hawaii; Aloha oe:—

That is the title put up by Siloama (no such person), an ignorant one from Kawaapae [“the beached canoe”], a speaking companion and lover of Waawaa [Stupid] folks, that was released in Helu 50 of the “Kuokoa” of the 11th of December, page 4, of 1875. It is for the readership to see this incompetence. In the title is that the leprosy patients are being taxed. And in the second paragraph, line 1½, he states, “taxing of the animals, all but the body of man.” Look at what James said. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8.

Then it goes on to say: “it has almost been 10 years that these people have been living as prisoners in the penitentiary of the law, and this is the first time we’ve been taxed.” Here is what Jesus had to say to the laborers, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” Matthew 20:15.

And further.—”This is astonishing that those dead to the Law are being taxed.” This is not right; it is the truth; all of the animals of the patients are being taxed, and that is the true intent of the Law.

And this too.—And even the tiniest of rights that we have are being taken away.” [The following two lines of this paragraph is not legible because of what appears to be a fold in the paper.] Yours,

LIHAU ANUENUE

Kalawao, Molokai, Dek. 28, 1875.

[This is a response to the article in the previous post.

The newspapers need to be reshot one page at a time, so that folds like these can be undone, and every possible word can be read as was intended. I am sure i am not the only one interested in what the last couple of lines said about their rights being taken away…]

(Lahui Hawaii, 1/13/1876, p. 1)

Ua Auhauia na mai Lepera.

Ka Lahui Hawaii, Buke II, Helu 3, Aoao 1. Ianuari 13, 1876.

On taxation and leprosy patients, 1875.

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The Leprosy Patients are Taxed!

Mr. Editor; Aloha:—

On the 2nd of this December, the Tax Assessor [Luna Auhau] of this island of Molokai came in person to the colony of Kalawao, the place of the castaways who are afflicted with wounds of an incurable sickness, that being leprosy [mai lepera], which is called he Chinese sickness [mai Pake].

Therefore, the Tax Assessor is acting as per his power under the Law; the taxing of animals, all except the body of man. And as such, I am announcing before all of our fellow people, that this is a major thing, because from the beginning of the enforcement of this law upon people afflicted with leprosy and who are set apart as based on the intent of the edict of the Board of Health; this is the first time this sort of thing has come before the patience, as it has almost been ten years that these people have been living as prisoners in the penitentiary of the law.

Through this, I am announcing clearly to all the people living all over outside of the boundaries of the land of the skeletons. This is astonishing that those dead to the law are being taxed. So if leprosy patients are taxable in this way, then those imprisoned in Kawa [the government prison] should be taxed, for they are better off than those living here in the Colony of Kalawao; those people, there is a given time when they will once again receive their Civil rights, but we here (the leprosy patience), we will not have a time when we are relieved, because the law follows after our steps, and takes from us even the tiniest of rights that we have.

This is the Era of King Kalakaua, and the character of the history of his reign is being prepared; so “Recognize your fellow man, and don’t waste your aloha on dogs.” Aloha no. SILOAMA.¹

Kalawao, Dec. 3, 1875

¹Siloama is probably a pen name; it is the Protestant church in Kalawao.

(Kuokoa, 12/11/1875, p. 4)

Ua Auhauia na mai Lepera!

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XIV, Helu 50, Aoao 4. Dekemaba 11, 1875.