No. 1905
17
HONGKONG.
REPORT OF THE PO LEUNG KUK FOR THE YEAR 1904.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor,
The following twelve gentlemen were elected to act as Managing Committee for the year 1904 :—
1. CHAN LAN-HIN.
2. CHEUNG SHUN-SHAN.
3. CHAU HING-KEI.
4. LAM SHAU-TING. 5. TONG LAI-CHUN. 6. LAU PEK-TONG. 7. Tsoi Tsz-CHONG. 8. TANG CHI NGONG. 9. TANG LAN-KUK. 10. CHAN KAN-HING. 11. CHAU CHEUK-FAN.
12. LAU SHIU-CHUN.
Mr. LAU WAI-CHUEN and Mr. WEI LONG-SHAN continued to act as Treasurers. A statement of the Assets and Liabilities of the Society on the 31st December, (together with a statutory declaration to the truth of it made by the two Trea- surers), and two statements, one shewing the working account and the other the revenue and expenditure during the year, are attached.
The Balance to the credit of the Society on the 31st December, was $15,809.25 compared with $15,081.17 at the close of 1903. Of this balance, $15,000 is a portion of the endowment fund and not to be trenched upon. The expenditure includes a considerable sum spent on adapting the floor of the Tung Wa Hospital dispensary to the uses of the Society and on furnishing it. The financial position of the Society is therefore satisfactory.
The subscriptions for the year amounted to $8,175, as against $5,715 in 1903, and $7,248 in 1902. The Committee in charge of the various Religious Ceremonies held on Feast Days at the Man Mo Temple subscribed $1,992, and the Jessees of the Chinese Theatre $1,187.50. The Carpenters' Guild and the Rattan Manufacturer Guild have been dissolved and have therefore dropped out of the list of subscribers. The Society has to thank the Flour Guild, the Sandal Guild and the Boarding-house Guild for becoming annual subscribers as also the lessee of the Taiping Theatre.
The actual sum spent by the Managing Committee was $8,432.19 compared with $8,180.03 in the preceding year. Messrs. Lo MUI-SHEK and FOK SHIU-CHI, kindly undertook the task of auditing the accounts.
The Visiting Justices during the year have been Mr. CHAN A FOOk, Mr. DUNCAN CLARK and Mr. CHAU SIU-KI.
Monthly meetings of the Permanent Board of Direction have been held, and have been attended by two or more members of the Annual Committee.
A return is attached shewing the accommodation of the Home, the number of the staff, the numbers of women and children admitted during the year, and the disposition made in each case. 536 women, 102 girls and 31 small boys, making a total of 669 individuals, were admitted into the Home.
The question of the best method of disposal of the young girls rescued from an immoral life has been the subject of earnest consideration and prolonged discussion. It was felt that the Home was not altogether a satisfactory place in which to detain girls for more than a short time, and finally it was resolved to invite the assistance of the Italian Convent. The authorities of the Convent readily agreed to admit these girls, and now when the guardians of girls under 16 years of age are unable to find proper security, the girls are sent to the Convent. The Society is extremely grateful for being relieved of a task which they felt themselves unable to perform satisfactorily.