2
Cost $320,000.
our
successors at least $100,000. sur- The Hospital which Your Ex-plus in connexion with this Hos- cellency is about formally to open pital. Indeed, I am hap to state has been built at a cost, together that, as far as we can at present with extras, of nearly $320,000.00. judge, and in the absence of any It has been efficiently equinned, unforeseen liabilities, we shall ha and staffed. It is, however, to be in a position to hand over at leas regretted that the existing accom-, $140,000. I may mention that my modation has hardly sufficient re-, colleagues and I-not for the pur- sidential quarters for the staff, pose of making up the required and is capable of providing only amount in accordance with 180 beds in the 4 general wards. undertaking, but as a memento By reserving 3 out of its 22 private our term of office have jointly wards for maternity cases, the donated the sum of $10,000, in number of maternity beds avail- addition to our individual con- able is about 10. My colleagues tributions amounting to over $10,- and I sincerely hope that the 000.00. But it is obvious financial position will soon be such very much more will have to be as to permit the carrying out of raised. The estimated annual ex- the full scheme contemplated by penditure of this Hospital is about the promoters by having the radia$90,000. In order to provide blocks built, so that the accom- Endowment Fund to produce half modation, both for patients and of the annual expenditure, leaving for the staff, may be materially, ¡increased.
+
The financial position of this Hospital up to the 20th November is as follows:
The total amount of subscriptions actual-
ly received at the end of 1928 is..... $383,184.37 (although the amount promised,
but not paid, is much
an
the other half to be made u h Government subsidy, voluntary subscriptions, etc., a capital sum of at least $600,000, is required.
the future with every "confidence and equanimity.
Ladies and Gentlemen, 1 will now bring my speech to a close with the fervent prayer that the hope expressed by His Excellency: last year that "in years to come this youthful Institution may rival, and even excel, the parent in its beneficent ac- Institution tivities and in its usefulness to Hongkong" may become a reality. (Applause).
Governor's Speech.
His Excellency, addressing those said:-Mr. Chairman, present, that
ladies and gentlemen,-The Tung! Wah Hospital is the most admir- able of the purely Chinese or- ganizations in this Colony and we are all of us proud of its achieve- ments. Over its gateway are in- cribed the words:-"Do good with all your heart!" and from the date of its foundation, in 1870, unti! now successive boards of directors of the Hospital have lived up to the spirit of those words. The directors change annually, and by reason of this fact a large number of Chinese merchants ticipated in building up, maintain- a charitable ing and expanding
commands administration which the respect and confidence only of Chinese in this Colony, but of those in China itself, as well as
overseas.
No directors can give of their best when harassed by financial difficulties. Their time would be taken up by the exhausting task of making both ends meet. Is it therefore too much to hope that those whose generosity has made the opening of this Hospital pos- sible will go further by making additional donations in order to The amount of subs-
render the continued efficient ad- criptions previously
ministration of the Institution certainty? Out of a population of promised, and col- lected by us during
nearly one million there must the current year
surely be at least 3,000 individuals $ 8,300.00 who can afford to subscribe
in excess of this sum).
is
The amount of subs- criptions obtained and collected by us during our term of office is These three totals
bring the aggregate sum subscribed up
a
say
$200. each to our Endowment Fund. This will give the required $600,000., which will place this Hospital in a sound financial posi- tion, and will release successive Boards of Directors from financial worries. I therefore earnest ap peal for further subscriptions.
have par-
not
The hospital organization, therefore, not only affords relief and succour to sick, suffering and destitute Chinese, but it is at the same time a valuable training ground for the Hongkong Chinese service. Continuity of policy is secured by means of the
in social
Tung $136,484.00
to the amount of ... $527,968.37 I may mention that of the total amount subscribed, the sum of $18,000 represents the total dona- tions from the European communi- ty. We are grateful for this con- tribution, not only because it is ja considerable sum, but also be
cause it is evidence of that close Jand friendly co-oneration between the European and Chinese com- munities, which is so beneficial to the Colony.
Endowment Fund.
In accordance with our under jtaking we shall hand over to our
An Appeal..
Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, my colleagues and I are naturally appreciative of the privilege of being officially as- sociated with to-day's ceremony. That the Hospital has infinite possibilities for good there can be no doubt. Will its career of use- fulness be one of continuous im- provement and expansion, un- hampered by lack of funds; will it be curbed and impaired by ever-recurring financial deficits? This question cannot but weigh heavily on our minds. The ans- wer to
or
that question depends chiefly on the attitude of the whole Colony, and particularly of the Chinese community. The Hos. pital has a most important mission to fulfil, but the success of that mission would be assured if it
received the goodwill, co-operation and generous support of the whole community, for which I earnestly plead. With that help, I look to
as
Wah Hospital Advisory Board, of which the Secretary for in which the Chinese Members of Chinese Affairs is chairman, and
Legislative Council have seats as well as other prominent Chinese, who have previously served directors of the Hospital. The re- sult is a cumulative effort, in which several generations have already participated, and in which the success of the present is con- sequent on devoted work done in the past and to the wise guidance of the representative leaders of the Chinese community.
Helping the Government. Apart from hospital administra- tion and care of the destitute living, the directors charge them-
selves with burial of destitute
dead: and they undertake un- obtrusively and efficiently a great
amount of work on behalf of the i Government. Probably few of those European firms which have obtained Government help in!
of gratuity. making payments or grants of compensation to persons in the interior of China or payments to members of Chinese crews realize that they
7