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which is of the greatest assistance to the Secretary for
Chinese Affairs. I would invite attention to the account
of its activities contained in Appendix A to the annual
report of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs for 1929. From
this it will be seen that in addition to an "Annual Committee
there is a "Permanent Committee" of which the Secretary for
Chinese Affairs is ex officio Chairman. There are possibly
one or two matters in which there is room for improvement
and I am taking these up. It will be more easy to deal with
them when new premises, for which I have, subject to Your
Lordship's approval, allotted a site, are erected. I may say
that several leading Chinese ladies visit this institution
regularly. A recent visit by ny wife was greatly appreciated
by the Committee and I hope to arrange for such visits from time to time. At my suggestion the Committee has arranged for regular visits by a Western trained Chinese doctor for
the purpose of examination of the inmates. I take the
greatest exception to such ill-informed criticism of the work done by the leading Chinese. I have been immensely impressed by what they have done and are doing in Hong Kong in such matters and especially in connection with Hospitals, Public Dispensaries and Health matters, the necessary funds being for the greater part provided by private subscriptions and benefactions. Without such assistance the responsibilit ies of this Government would be greatly increased.
11.
I venture to controvert the suggestion
contained in the concluding sentence of Mrs. Rolfe's letter, that this Government has in this matter placed itself on the defensive or in any way attempted to conceal the actualities. My despatch No.286 of 22nd May gives a reference to a despatch which was sent in 1923 with a very
full and frank account of the present governmental
machinery