Plantation Workers Contract

Example of a 19th Century Hawaiian Plantation Workers Contract

An example of the type of Sugar Plantation Contract (written in Portuguese) that Clemente Gomes Camacho
may have agreed to. The key terms of the contract are highlighted blue. Wages for Clement were probably
about $12/month, and half that for any women or children in the familly who chose to work with him.

Form A.

No.______

THIS AGREEMENT, ENTERED into this ___________________________ day of __________________
in the year of our Lord 1878, by and between ________________________________________________
acting as Agent for the Board of Immigration, a Bureau of the Government of the Kingdom of Hawaii, in the
Island of Madeira, of the first part, and the party whose name is hereto subscribed, of the second part.

WITNESSETH: That whereas the party of the second part is desirous of emigrating to the Hawaiian
Islands, there to be employed as an agricultural labourer under the direction of the said Board of Immigration:
now, therefore, in consideration of a passage to the Hawaiian Islands on board the ____________________
ship or vessel, called the _______________________________and a further undertaking by the party of
the first part, that the said Board of Immigration will pay, or cause to be paid, to the party of the second part
wages at the rate of ________________ dollars per month, with board and lodging for himself and children
under twelve years of age, for each and every month of 26 days service, faithfully performed, during the existence
of this Agreement (a day's service to be ten hours in the field and twelve hours in the sugar house): such wages
to be paid at the end of each calendar month, reckoning from the date of the commencement of such service after
arrival at Honolulu. And in consideration of a further undertaking on the part of the party of the first part, to
secure the party of the second part full protection under the Hawaiian Law, as fully as the same is enjoyed by
the native born subjects of the kingdom, and likewise in case of sickness that he shall be supplied with proper
medical attendance, and that the said children shall be properly instructed in the public schools, the said party
of the second part will duly and faithfully perform such lawful and proper labour as he may be directed
to perform, under the auspices of the said Board of Immigration for and during the space of Three years, next
succeeding the date of the commencement of such service after arrival in the Hawaiian kingdom. It being
always understood that the party of the second part shall not be compelled to labour on Sunday or on any
holiday recognised by the Government, and that his services shall not be transferred without his consent; and
the party of the first part, in consideration of the agreement hereinbefore expressed, as being entered into by
the party of the second part, hereby agrees to the same, and undertakes that the said Board of Immigration
will pay, or cause to be paid, the wages hereinbefore set forth, and will keep and perform, or cause to be kept
and performed, all the other stipulations hereinbefore set forth.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hand on the day and year first above mentioned.

Witnesses to the Signatures

(Certificate of the Notary)
I, ___________________________________________________________, being a duly appointed
Notary Public in this City, hereby certify that the above_________________ signatures were written in my
presence by the proper persons, and that the ______________________________________ were written
at the request of _____________________________________________________________________
also in my presence, which I duly recognise and certify.
Funchal, Madeira, ________________________________ 1878.