No. 33
Hongkong.
Government House,
C. O.
6664
104
W 25 FEB 041
Hongkong, 23rd January, 1904.
22nd December 1903.
Six,
y 301530
03
With reference to paragraph 3 of your Despatch No. 377 of the 15th October last, I have the honour to transmit to you the enclosed copy of a Report by the Directors of the Widows and Orphans Pension Fund which, with the tables appended thereto, will furnish you with the desired information, together with that requested in paragraph 4 of the above Despatch.
2. The large number of withdrawals of Europeans from the Fund is accounted for by the constant changes in the Staffs of the Gaol, Post Office and Sanitary Department where subordinate Officers are either continually resigning to better their position or are being frequently dismissed from the Service.
With reference to Mr. Young's remarks in paragraph 3 of his Report of 5th April, 1902, on the rate of withdrawals I may state that the Non-Chinese Population includes Indians and Portuguese. Many of the former are destitute and come to the Colony in search of work and they are, equally with the Portuguese, men of feeble stamina, readily succumbing to any illness they may contract; hence the high rate of mortality
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,
&c..
80..
The...