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ADDRESS BY ME. O. CLEMENTI.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
one.
This concluded the proceedings,
The following is the letter, extracts of which were read by the Hon. Gershom Stewart, at the above meating:
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Kwaiping, 15th May 1903. with various duties that it has been quite DEAR SIR-The past days have been so filled impossible to do much else, so there has been no letter concerning the famine work.
[May 28, 1909. THE FAMINE IN KWANGSI. I should aim at co-operation with the Chinese or came, and in Hongkong would create a demand other European committees which might be for accommodation that could not be met. It started. The situation in Nanning was extre simply came to this, that as far as the disburse- On the 20th lust. Mr. C. Uementi, Relief but the prefect of Nanning had promised that exert itself to place subscriptions in the best mely urgent. There were dangers in transportment of money went, the committes would Fund Commissioner, met the Relief Com-if there was any ric, available to be sent there possible way for the affording of relief; and mittee formed here in connection with the he would have it escorted the whole way by speaking from personal knowledge, he had no famine in Kwangai, and spoke on the conditions he found existing there during his recent visit poyed to get it there with all despatch. In communities in Hongkong were satisfied their Chinese gunboats, and trackers would be em hesitation in saying that when the different to the province. The meetings held in the Nanning he did not know how many thonsands help was wanted, they would not have the Chamber of Commerce Room City Hall, would have died since he was there; but he slightest hesitation in extending that help. and was presided over H.E. the Governor. There was a good attendance being fed would have died from starvation.
should estimate that some 8,000 who were | (Applauso ) of the public, and included in it were Lady The relief would certainly have to go on till the Blake, Hon, Bir H. 8. Barkeley, Acting Chief end of Janne, the beginning of next harvest, al- Justice; Hon. F. H. May, and Hon. G. Stewart.
HIS EXCELLENCY in introducing Mr. Cle- ways provided that the next harvest was a good menti, recalled the meeting that had been held supply. That would mean that 18,200 piculs What should be reckoned for was five wooks in the Legislative Council Chamber on 23rd
were needed in Nanning, in Wengsung 10,000. April last, and recapiculated what he gave If they confined themselves to these districts, utterance to on that occasion. Since the Com- leaving out Kwaiyan and T'sam Chan, that mittee had been formed and relief distributed, would mean 23,200 piouls which, calculated the conclusion had ten come to that it would at $5 a picul for cost and freight, came to be well to recall Mr. Clementi to Hongkong 8141,000, of which they might expect to and ask him to state at a public meeting what Le had himself seen in those parts of Kwange the other two districts he had mentioned recover $41,000 by silos. If they included that he had visited; and after Mr. Clementi had furnished those details it would
the estimated sum required would be $210,750, be agreed that everything the Committee had Mr. Clementi proceded to say that he had done had been entirely justified. (Applause.) itg to Hongkong. In the first place, the been met with several objections since return: The Committee had appealed to the different Kwangsi Ghines, it was arguel, might do classes of the community-first to the Chinese, and then to the non-Chinese who owed their more themselves to relieve the distress, but they prosperity to their dealings with the Chinese
had do all they could, and could do no more. people. Ithidappealed also to the altruistic feel. Then some of the big firms in the Colony had ing of charity which is found equally in the Up the West River there were thou-ands will suggested that labour might be imported here. East as in the West, and which was impelled ing to come. by a divine feeling of pity and a desire to
In April the Pritish North assnage human suffering. Those who had not brought back several
Borneo Company had sent up an agent who
hundreds of subscribed to the relief of the suffering people women, and children for the plantations men, had a perfect right to please themselves, but for in Borneo. It had also been said that the those who had subscribe justification for the Cantonese should do more. One of the Canton. appeal which had been made, and which had met ese benevolent societies had already contributed with a fair response, would be found in the 100,000 taels, and the distress in Kwangtung statement to be farnished by Mr. Clementi, whom His Excellency then introduced,
province was another drain upon their resources. that there was a Lastly, it had been asserted in some quarters and in refutation of this statement the speaker in rice in Canton, quoted figures which showed it not only to be unlikely but practically impossible that such was a "corner," he concluded, it was absurd corner "could exist. Even supposing there
to refuse to subscribe to any relief fund, If made the victims of speculators, all the more the starving people in Kwangsi wera baing
reason that help should be extended to them. (Applause.)
Mr. CLEMENTI prefaced his remarks by stating that he had seen it stated in the China Mail that representatives of the Chinese com- munity of Singapore were credited by Mr. Scott to have contributed $70,000 and it was further stated that in a report of his he had mentioned that a sum of $1000) was the utmost required to relieve the famine. He had made no such statement. He never mentioned $40,000 as being sufficient; it was utterly in- Bufficient. He wished to appeal to the Press not to publish anonymous letters without verifying the statements made in them. It would give him great pain if owing to & misrepresentation of what he said in a report carelessly printed in a pap ranyon) should be deterred from subscribing money to relieve some of the starving people of Kwangsi. The prevailing famine was the result of the failure of three successive harvests. Mr. Clementi went on to describe what he had seen in the districts through which he had travelled, his account being mainly an amplification of his letters already published in the Press. In Kweiping, he related, about 1500 prisoners convicted of serious offences had been executed at the rate of from 10 to 100 pach day. The bodies lay on the ground and the people came and cut off the flash and ate it. If the butcher-man got there first he took it all and sold it at a profit The lowest estimate of people n eding relief in merely the districts he had visited was 349 000 In every single district he visited the local Chinese officials and gentry were doing their best to relieve the famine. At the cheap-rice sales so great was the crush that many people were crashed to death, especially infants carried on their mothers backs. In Nanning there was oholera and further up the river plagae was reported to be prevalent Tide in Kwangsi was at a standstill. There was no money. The officials were collecting no taxes: 03 the other hand they were doling out money; they had to support larger numbers of troops than usual. He honestly did not think one could squeeze another penny one of Kwangsi for the relief of Kwangai itself. In Kweiping and Kwaiyun the distress was terrible; in Nanning and neighbouring district it was no less ter- rible. After describing what was being done in the way of relief measures by different agencies, Mr.
Clementi said the Hongkong Committee
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Mr. GEESHOM STzwart next addressed the meeting. He did so briefly, and said that from the statement furnished by Mr. Clementi their existence as a Committee to relieve famine had been fally justified. Their principal tronble bodies in Kwangsi and other helpers had now had been to secure assistance for disbursements;
extracts overcome that difficulty. Mr. Stewart read from a letter received on the 11th inst. from Tsimchan, which showed that the distress was Mr. Foe, missionary at most acnts. The Committee were endeavour- ing to keep a steady supply of rice going forward, and in this connection they were indebted to Mr. Fox, Wuchow, who had been most kind in receiving H.B.M. Consal at and forwarding all rice sont up. (Applause.)
Mr. Ho TUNG complimented Mr. Clemeuti on the valuable work he had done, and suggested that the scheme of importing labour from Kwangsi into this Colony might be tried. Some European friends of his had sug gested to him that the coolie guilds here prevented the adoption of that measure, but his conviction was that not only had very few people in Kwangsi ever seen Hongkong, but they could not find the necessary travelling money. He further suggested that a guarantee fund might be started to enable these poor people to come to the Colony from Kwangsi, they to repay out of their wages whatever amount might have been advanced to them, so that those who subscribel to the fund should be at no loss. He was willing, Mr. Ho Tung concluded, to co-operats in any undertaking that had in view the accomplishment of this object.
HIS EXCELLENCY also expressed apprecia tion of the valuable work done by Me Clementi, but declined to support Mr. Ho Tung's suggestion for the import of labour. It would deprive Kwanga of those whose services would be required when the harvest
for food was so great that the Emperor's Tem- On May 2nd, the number of people who came
distributing of rice, was not large enough to plo, which has been granted to us for the
contain them all, so the Prefect gave us the use of his front courtyard for the overflow. When that on the next day we would distribute to we saw that there were so many it was decided
women and children only, and to the men one day later. But just at this time the Cantoness merchants doing business in the city, received their first shipment of rice for distribution, had decided to give some aid to the famine suf- from Wachow, and came in to say that they
forers. Their suggestion was that they should distribute to all, as we had been doing, alterna- increased numbers, strongly recommending ting with us. We then spoke of the greatly that they give to either men or women, thus dividing the burden of the work. This they to take this upon themselves, distributing to the decided to do, and to the present have continued
men, so that now we give rice on every third day, viz.-May 2nd, 5th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, We have been told that when the merchants' and so on as long as their supply holds out. supply gives ont, the Benevolent Society from Canton expects to continue their part of the word, but hope it is true. If this fails the work. For this, however, we have no reliable
whole burden will no doubt be cast back on us possibility of such a thing, lest we be not in a week or ten days, so we mention the
prepared for the emergency.
On the 11th, we gave to about 12,000 per- sons, averaging about one catty per person, but as we felt there were some, who were not so
needy, we were more strict in our examination yesterday, and therefore gave to rather fewer than on the day previous. It is very difficult to really know who needs the rice and who does not, as some are only now at the end of their own resources and as yet slow no sigue of real want, but we know that we have made some mistakes in thus keeping some real needy ones out. The lesson will have a good influence on somɔ who are not in real need, and we hope that it may not be necessary to continue the strict scrutiny of all who cɔme, but that when some who can do without help will stay away. the peoplereally know that we mean to be careful,
As there are so many. coming here the work is heavy, and we welcomed the arrival of Mr. Fletcher yesterday morning. As there is now
that when the next shipment comes there may a prospect of more rice in a few days, we hope
be sufficient to send some on to Kwai Hsien.
The need is beyond description, and is bound to continue until the rice is harvested. We earnestly hope that the reports of rebellion, and of the famine reports being exaggerated, will not materially hinder the liberality of those who have any sympathy for their suffering fellow-men. Even with the aid we are giving, there are a great many dying daily, both old and young, even to nursing infants.
There are now six foreigners here aiding in the work, and we are all doing our utmost to prevent unworthy persons obtaining rice, and also to secure the best possible results from what is entrusted to us for distribution.
If after consulting with Mr. Clementi, your Committee has any suggestions to offer for a batter method or work, we will be glad to receive your instructions, or recommendations.
There is a small matter, that may help to give you a better understanding of the destitution,