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Mr. D. R. CALDWELL examined, said-Before the "I-Ts'z" was built, the Chinese had no other way of disposing of their dying than by placing them on the hills beside rocks, or building temporary sheds over them. In consequence of the Government trying to discover those who exposed the bodies, and taking steps to prevent this, the principal Chinese of the Colony petitioned the Government to be allowed to build a place for these people. He could not say if it was stated in the petition that dying people were to be put in the new building, as he did not know how the petition was worded. This was before Sir GEORGE BONHAM'S time, about 20 years ago. After this, the present building was erected, with a temple attached. He had known the keeper of the temple for very many years. There was originally a committee, but of late years no one had taken any interest in the place.. He had been there many times officially, and otherwise, but he had not been there for eight years. For a long time the old man has had the charge of the place. He never for a moment considered the "I-Ts'z" as a hospital, although he had seen the friends of people attending them. He had seen all the rooms set apart for the sick people full of patients. He had seen six people in at once, it might have been more. He always looked upon the cases in the "I-Ts'z" as hopeless, at least the Chinese put them in there with that idea. His attention was never called to any particular care- lessness. He could not say how many were in the Hospital during the year, but more than two hundred. He was perfectly sure that there had been many cases where the men had been thrown into the "I-Ts'z" to die, and no attention paid. He had scen Chinese dwelling-houses more miserable. Any person has a right to take a body into the "I-Ts'z" and no one can prevent them, as the place is public. The old man who looks after the temple gets his living by selling plasters, etc., and he is what the Chinese call a surgeon, that is, he (old man) cures external complaints. He never heard that the Chinese complained of the place.
Mr. STEWART asked what was the reason that the Chinese did not go to the Civil Hospital.
Mr. CALDWELL said it was the Chinese dread of being opened for a post mortem examination after death.
Examination continued.-There were similar places to the "I-Ts'z" in the inland
of China.
By the Jury. He had never heard that the place was called a hospital, it was entirely a mistake to do so.
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To the Court.-Ile thought that it was extreme nervousness that caused the old man belonging to the temple to give his evidence in such a hurried and strange manner. He knew nothing about the deceased, but he believed that the deceased came from the Kwong Kee," but he did not know if the man was sent or not from that house. The fact that the deceased was an inmate of the Kwong Kee for two or three days would not entitle him to be considered an inmate. He wished sick men in the houses to be sent to the "I-Ts'z," as a contagious disease would soon spread in a house where there are over 150 coolies. He imagined in sending the coolies to the "I-Ts'z" they would be treated as he saw men treated there years ago, not that he would be inclined to think that much attention would be paid to the personal cleanliness of the patients, because some have only one suit, and are necessarily dirty after a time. It was not hopeless cases only that were despatched to the "I-Ts'z," jaundice cases were sent away at once. He thought the "I-Ts'z" the best place to send jaundice cases, as he believed they would get food and attendance.
CHUN-A-WONG said his younger brother was in the "I-Ts'z" lately, and died there. Ile (brother) was sent to the "I-Ts'z" on the 11th instant, with fever. Witness took his brother in a chair, and when he got to the "I-Ts'z" saw a woman with a pock- marked face, who lived in the place. He had to get permission from her and other persons before he took his brother to the "I-Ts'z." There was one CHUN-A-FAT there,