2
dealing with pauperism in Hongkong
2
In my despatch N. 93 of the 28th of July, 1877, I touched some of the abuses which, not unnaturally, had cropped up under the system of deporting all mendicants of the Chinese race, cases of old men and women who had worked a good many years in Hongkong, but who, on getting feeble from age, were deported to the opposite shore of China to die.
3. In His Lordship's despatch N. 3 of 3rd January, 1878, Lord Carnarvon concurred with me in thinking that in some instances abuses had occurred and he expressed the hope that I might be able to devise some means of dealing with such cases which would be free from similar objections in future.
4. Your Lordship will learn from the enclosed report of Dr. Eitel, dated the 22nd of April, 1880; his memorandum of the 12th of August, 1880, and the minutes of the Executive Council of the 28th of July, 1880, what has been done on this subject.
5. Briefly, Your Lordship will see that in Hongkong we have no poor law and no pauper class. The few destitutes that occur in the small European and American community are generally sent away by subscriptions amongst the benevolent English and