400
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETT
No.135.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Report is published for general
information.
By Conninmind,
FREDERICK STEWART,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hongkong, 7th June, 1880.
六月 初七日示
號五十三百
1880.
第報憲
號 一千八百八十年
凳轉政使司史為
憲 [諏亊照得現奉
督憲將下髒批語
及待貧人法抄印
倬衆週知
有
語批憲督法人貧待港香
甚
批
千八百八十年四月初二日批 貧之項支錢五圓給此貧婦一 免音成無賴之流兹仰先在濟 善法可減如此貧人之艱苦而 甚協本部堂意仰將提舉有何 批據此禀末歐參贊所增一語 批示如左 香港總督部堂燕 貧無靠等情禀懇賙濟 督憲 内因練吳氏以已及兩幼子赤 本年第七百七十三號公文
舉善法以減貧人
漢務參贊串陳 陳事竊卑職奉到
漢務參贊歐爲 二日批飭卑職提
督憲大人四月初
國有致
現在所有光景 一本港照翁之人 致於無家室之外國人有
味香港者
爲所此凡
不船
商接
懇請察閱
此謹將腐見申陳
無賴之流等語奉 之艱苦而免音成
人香人
度或馬獄等人一 也華人三也
生長之西洋人二 也在澳門或香港 或亞美利加或印 驗彼實爲岡知悛改遊蕩之徒而巡理府識伊 爲三卽無家室之 不闥商船則例所理且彼 所遇著大約可分 無語民有逃自舟船者有出自醫院者若輩 此等人現在香港 若送往脚行以爲已任但本港每有舟子原是 外國人或毆羅巴 頭目皆不接納者按若輩混名水老鼠船政廳 之擔攫啖而不解囊晨往西人富厚之家俯首 而求衣食有所得輒將沽作買酒費入夏時若 同事之儔而作不速哺啜之客路遇肩挑販果
凡無度活費者是 外那人每恐貽羞本國視將稍有瓜葛之窘 實是嗜酒之輩彼終日閒遊過酒家冀遇曩昔
所稱窮窘之人卽 國之鄉親速設法助便附航別往蓋旅港之 有至香港而致窮者若董本國之領事或同 -官及代理
郎
貽速
本法
是窘
混本
國出
領自每
事醫有
終改按
TREATMENT OF PAUPERS IN
HONGKONG.
MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
(In C. S. O. No. 773 of 1880, Mrs. CH'AN née No.
I
petion for revej, having been left destitute
with two children.)
agree with Dr. EITEL's note on this petition
and would be glad if he would suggest some way
of mitigating the evils of this form of destitution
whilst avoiding the formation of a pauper class.
Meanwhile let him give this poor woman $5 from the Charitable Allowance Fund.
(Signed), J. POPE HENNESSY.
2nd April, 1880.
REPORT BY DR. EITEL.
In pursuance of His Excellency the Governor's Minute of the 2nd instant. to the effect that I should suggest some way of mitigating the evils
of destitution, whilst avoiding the formation of a
pauper class, I have the honour to submit the following considerations :---
1.-The present condition of destitutes in Hongkong.
The classes of destitutes. i.e. of persons desti- rute of the actual necessarics of life, at present to be found in Hongkong, may roughly be divided into non-resident foreigners (ie. Europeans, Americans, Indians and Malays), Macao or Hongkong born Portuguese, and Chinese.
As to non-resident foreigners arriving here in a state of destitution, or lapsing into it after arrival, their respective Consuls and countrymen speedily take some steps to get them shipped off elsewhere, as most foreign nationalities hero consider it a duty of national self-respect to rid the Colony of their own paupers. Nevertheless there is always
a small fluctuating residue of non-descript seamen, deserters, or men discharged from IIospital, who are beyond the pale of the Merchant Shipping Act, disowned by their respective Consuls and Shipping Masters, “ bench-combers " well known to the Marine Magistrate as incorrigible loafers or to the Police Magistrate as drunken sots. They hang about the grog shops, levy blackmail
on former shipmates and on native fruit bawkers, call at gentlemen's houses early in the morning begging for food and clothes which are forthwith
converted into drink, and manage to get on well enough in summer when they can sleep out on