No. 93.
HONGKONG.
287
•
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG, 18th April, 1907.
MY LORD,-Referring to the 38th, 39th and 10th paragraphs of my Despatches Nos. 238 and 262 dated the 5th and 22nd October, 1906, respectively, on the subject of the typhoon which passed over this Colony on the 18th September last, I have the honour to transmit for Your Lordship's information a copy of the Report of the Committee appointed to collect funds and to deal with cases of distress caused by that storm.
2. The report shows that out of the sum of $281,390.26 received as subscriptions to the fund and as interest on them the sum of $246,134.84 has been expended in grants for the purchase construction or repair of boats, on recovering and burying corpses, main- taining destitutes, relieving widows and orphans, repairing embankments and compensating for loss of crops in the New Territories, etc.
3. I trust Your Lordship will see fit to express satisfaction at the manner in which the General Committee, the Sub-Committee, and the Investigating Committee carried out the work of collecting funds and distributing relief. work which I aun sure greatly lessened the period during which the evil effects of the typhoon were felt in the Colony. This work was very arduous and the services of Sir PAUL CHATER, Chairman of the General Committee, of Mr. HEWETT and Mr. HUNTER, Secretary and Treasurer to that Committee, of Mr. BREWIN, Chairman of the Sub-Committee, and of Mr. Fexu Wa Cu'cs, Chairman of the Investigating Committee are specially worthy of Your Lordship's notice.
4. The Committee suggest that the balance of $35,255.42 should be taken charge of by the Government as a trust fund to be used as the Governor may from time to time direct in assisting people resident in the Colony who may on future occasions suffer loss by storms. I have on behalf of the Government accepted this charge.
5. Referring to the 42nd paragraphs of the despatches above quoted which dealt with the question of providing as soon as possible additional accommodation for junks seeking shelter from storms, Your Lordship will observe that the Relief Fund Committee unani- mously agreed to suggest that the Government contribution of an amount equal to private subscriptions promised by me to the fund, not being otherwise required, should be expended for commencing at the earliest possible date the new typhoon refuge which they, as well as the l'ublic Works Committee of the Legislative Council, have recommended should be pro- vided at Mong-kok-tsui by constructing a detached breakwater extending from near Tai- kok-tsui to opposite the South end of Yaumati and enclosing an area of 166 acres. The estimated cost of this breakwater is $600,000, and I propose that the suggestion of the Relief Fund Committee should be met by taking a vote in the Legislative Council for the amount that can be spent on the work this year and including such amounts in the Estimates for 1908 and 1909 as will permit of the work being completed without any avoidable delay. I ask Your Lordship's approval to this course. In the meantime a number of borings have been taken to ascertain the nature of the bed of the harbour on the site of the proposed break- water and the plans and particulars for it are being prepared.
The Right Honourable
THE EARL OF ELGIN, K.G.,
&c.,
&c.,
fc.
I have, etc.,
M. NATHAN,
Governor.