“Formerly, the chief could call the people from one end of the Islands to the other to perform labor. At the present time this is prohibited, and the people can be required to work only nearby their home.”
“Formerly, if the King wished the people to work for him, they could not refuse. They must work from month to month. So also at the call of every chief and every landlord.”
“At the present time there is nothing of the kind. If any chief should attempt to pursue such a course, it would be a crime such as would free all his tenants from laboring for him at all until the time specified in the law.”
“Formerly, the people were regularly required to work every Tuesday and Friday, that is four days in a month for the King and four for the landlord, eight in whole, and as many more as the chiefs chose. At the present time the whole number is limited to six days in a month, leaving twenty laboring days for the people.”
“Formerly, if the people did not go to the work of the King when required, the punishment was that their houses were set on fire and consumed. Now if they do not go, they must pay a rial, or at most a quarter of a dollar.”
“But still, the people are wailing on account of their present burdens.”
“Formerly, they were not called burdens. Never did the people complain of burdens till of late – till these dreadful weights mentioned above were removed. This complaint of the people however would have a much better grace, if they with energy improved their time, on their own free days, but lo! this is not the case.”
“They spend many of their days in idleness, and therefore their lands are grown over with weeds, and there is little food growing.”
“The chiefs of their own unsolicited kindness removed the grievous burdens mentioned above. The people did not first call for a removal of them. The chiefs removed them of their own accord.”
“Therefore the saying of some of the people, that they are oppressed, is not correct. They are not oppressed, but are idle.” (Laws of the Hawaiian Islands, 1842)
“As for the idler, let the industrious put him to shame, and sound his name from one end of the country to the other. And even if they should withhold food on account of his idleness, there shall be no condemnation for those who thus treat idlers.”
“If a landlord, or a chief should give entertainment to such a sluggard, he would thereby bring shame on the industrious. For three months the tenants of him who thus entertains the sluggard shall be freed from labor for their landlord. Such is the punishment of him who befriends the sluggard. Let him obtain his food by labor.” (Laws of the Hawaiian Islands, 1842)
“Indolence is a crime involving the best interests of the state. Even in days of old it was considered a crime, and at the present time it is perfectly clear that it is a downright misdemeanor. Those who live without labor live in direct disobedience to the commands of God, and in disregard of the opinions of mankind.”
“Wherefore, in a council or the Nobles and Representative Body, this law was passed.”
“1. If a man be often see running about, or sitting idly without labor, or devoted to play and folly, he shall be taken before the judges, and if he cannot bring evidence that he labors sufficiently to pay for his board and clothing, he shall then be put to hard labor for three months.”
“2. If he be again seen living in the idle manner after he has been punished, then he shall he put to hard labor for one year.”
“3. If a man live in idleness because he have no land, then his destitution shall be examined into, and if he be faultless he shall not be punished. But land shall be given him as the laws requite.”
“4. By this law, men and boys are forbidden to run in crowds after new things. Whosoever does this in an indecent manner shall be punished thus; he shall be taken to the house of confinement and remain till he pay a rial, and be set at liberty. The same also with those who obey not the police officer when he proclaims a prohibition.”
“It shall therefore be the duty of the police officers to watch carefully around the markets and places of public resort, that they may discover who they are who crowd after strangers, for these are indolent and lazy persons. Let them he taken before the judges and tried, and when convicted let them he punished according to the requirements of this law.”
“If this law he proclaimed in any village or district, the day of its proclamation shall be the day of its taking effect at that place, but even if it be not proclaimed, it shall nevertheless take effect on the first day of September of the present year, at all places of these Hawaiian Islands.”
“This law having received the approbation of the Nobles and Representative Body, we have hereunto set our names on this twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, at Lahaina, Maui.” (Laws of the Hawaiian Islands, 1842)
The image is from the State Archives; it shows people at their home with a taro lo‘i. Their land is cared for (not grown over with weeds,) and there is ample food growing; according to the preambles and laws of the Kingdom, they are not idlers.
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Peter, Excellent post. In many ways it has a message for us today. What is the source or link to the source?
The piece is noted as from the Laws of 1842. You can search for ‘idle’ or ‘idlers’ in those laws.
Would the homeless of today be considered idlers?
Quite a few of today’s homeless work and hold down jobs. They just do not earn enough to pay rent in the city where the jobs are.
Auwe nohoi, mahea kela welfare !!!!!