Enclosure 4.
RECO
C.C
2390
REC FER 97)
Chinese Mail of 14th December, 1896.
408
THE TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS. Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held in the Tung Wa Hospital to consider the question of appointing a Chinese trained in Western medical science to reside in the Hospital. Mr Lo Tsz-Chung presided. There were also present Messrs. Liu Tsz-shan, Fung Wa-chuen, Chang Kok-chau, Ho Chak-sang, Wong Sang-tung, and about forty others, all of whom were directors and former directors of the Hospital. Inspector Quincey and reporters of the Chinese papers also attended. No kaifong people were present. Our morning contemporary publishes the following translation of the discussion --
Liu Tsz-shan said-The Directors went to see His Excellency the Governor on the 3rd instant, but Mr Lo Tsz-chung, who was at that time in Canton, did not go with us. His Excellency said that he wanted to appoint a Chinese trained in Western medical science to reside in this hospital, but as Mr Lo Tsz-chung, the president, was absent, we did not give a definite answer to His Excellency. This meeting is specially held to consider the question and we will give answer to His Excellency to-morrow.
Lo Tsz-chung said-I have just returned from Canton in response to a telegram stating that the meeting was to be held to-day. I was entirely ignorant of this thing till now. The idea of His Excellency is a good one and we cannot say anything against it, but as no kaifong people are present, how can we do anything without their consent?
Chang Kok-chau said-We twelve directors cannot carry the whole responsibility of making the appointment on our own shoulders, and we had better see His Excellency to-morrow and let His Excellency appoint the doctor himself. We cannot do anything against his view, because Hong-kong is under British control.
Fung Wa-chuen-Why should we make the appointment ourselves when His Excellency insists upon its being made with or without our consent? His Excellency will take a good and kind view appointing a doctor. We had better appoint Dr Chung, who is trained in Western medical science. His Excellency is by no means desirous to diminish our power; he only wants to do good to the hospital. If we had a doctor trained in Western medical science, a poor man might consult him in critical cases. To have a Chinese trained in Western medical science here is much better than to have a European doctor here, as was proved the year before last, when Hongkong was first visited by plague.
Liu Tsz-shan-What Mr Fung Wa-chuen has said is quite right. If we have the doctor here, the European doctors who visit the hospital will not again complain that the patients' clothes are dirty or anything of that sort.
Lo Tsz-chung asked how they could meet such a heavy expense as would be involved by having such a doctor in the hospital.
Fung Wa-chuen-Is it not better to send an application to the Governor asking him to give us pecuniary aid? The appointed doctor would be under our direction. The patients can do what they like. They can have a Chinese doctor or a doctor trained in Western medical science.
Lo Tsz-chung-It is very unfortunate that no kaifong people are present. We cannot do this thing without a word from them. We are reminded how the people treated Mr Lau Waichuen, who during the plague was president of the hospital; one who co-operated with the foreigners in fighting the plague, and the people stoned him.
Fung Wa-chuen-The kaifong people have been sent for and it is their own fault that they do not come, and they are quite unreasonable to raise any complaints if the doctor is appointed to-day. His Excellency wants the doctor to be appointed. We cannot say no. I think the reason why the kaifong people failed to come to-day is that His Excellency said that if any one was found to stir up trouble he would be severely dealt with.
Ho Chak-sang-I concur with Fung Wa-chuen's opinion.
Fung Wa-chuen remarked that if they were afraid the kaifong people would raise complaints they should go to see Mr Lockhart to-day and ask him to issue a notice to let the people know that the doctor must be appointed.
Ho Chak-sang thought Mr Lockhart would not issue such a notice.
There was no further discussion and it was agreed to hold another meeting next week and meanwhile to ascertain the opinion of the kaifong people.