the enclosed extract from the "Daily
of this date containing
Press
report of
the
proceedings
at the
ceremony of laying the foundation
I stone of the new home for women
and
-girls which is about to be built by the 30 Leung Kink Society.
Sit the request of the com. mitte of the Lociety I consented to perform this pleasing duty.
I have the how our to be,
Sir, Your most obedient
humble servant,
Witham Robinzoy
Enclosure 4. Jan 4190
Enclosure.
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, JANUARY 20TH, 1896.
THE PO LEUNG KUK SOCIETY'S NEW HOME.
LATING THE FOUNDATION STONE.
On Saturday afternoon His Excellency the Governor, Sir William Robinson, K.C.M.G., per- formed the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new home for women and girls which is being built by the Po Leung Kuk; Society. Special arrangements had been made in connection with the ceremony, the complete success of which foretells a prosperous future for this worthy Society. His Excellency and suite were escorted from Government House by four mounted troopers, and throughout the entire length of the route large crowds of people asserabled on each side of the street. Punctually at the appointed time, 2.30, ILis Excellency arrived at the site of the new home, and he was received by a guard of police nader i Chief Inspector Corcoran. A very large number of ladies and gentlemen had assembled in response to the Committee's invitation, į amongst those present being His Excellency Admiral Buller and Mrs. Bullor, Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart and Mrs. Lockhart, Hon. W. M. Goodman and Mrs. Goodman, Hon. F. A. Cooper and Mrs. Cooper, Hon. F. R. Belitios, Hon. A. MeConachie, Hon. J. J. Bell Irving, Co- onel Austey, Major the Hon. E. Noel and Mrs. Noel, Hon. Commander W. C. H. Hastings, Hob. A. K. and Mrs. Travers, Hon. T. H. Whitehead, Hon. Ho Kai. Captain Stirling. A.D.C., Dr. and Mrs. Wright, Mr. J. J. Francis, Q. C., and Mrs. Fraucis, Rev. Dr. Chalmers and Mrs. Chalmers, Captain Anderson and Miss Anderson, Mrs. Milward, Mr. G. W. Playfair and Mrs. Playfair, Miss Van Buren, Mrs. Tomes, Mrs. Droeze, Mr. and Mrs. Byramjoe, Mr. A. G. Romano, Mr. C. C. Platt, Mr. T. Jackson, Mr. A. B. Johnson, Mr. A. Denison, Mr. and Mrs. Mehta, Mr. C. Ford and Mrs. Ford. Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Cox. and Messrs. Ho Amei, Ho Tung, Ho Fook, Li Sing, Lau Chu-san, Feng Ming San, Cheung Si Kai, Chang Tang, Wai Yuk, Kwok Chik, Sin Tak Fan, Kau Hung Tak, Tam Chuen Shu, Lan Wei Chun, Chui Chi Yuen, La Chi Ting, and many others.
The proceedings were opened by Hon. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, the President of the Committee, who said Your Excellency--On behalf of the Po Leung Kuk Society I have the honour to request you to lay the foundation stone of the new home for women and girls, and in doing so I desire to express on behalf of the members of the Society their high appreciation of the honour which your Excellency has done them in coming here to-day to perform this ceremony. (Ifear, Hear.)
His EXCELLENCY-Mr. President of the Po Leung Kuk Society, you and your committee have asked me to lay the foundation stone of the new home for women and girls which it is proposed to erect on this site. I have the greatest pleasure in acceding to your request and am glad to have my name in any way associated with the admirable institution you represent. Before completing the ceremony, Lowever, I should like, for the information of the spectators and of the invited guests, to make a few romarks as to the origin and past success of the Society. Some seventeen years ago the attention of the public was called by the Chief Justice to the evil practice of kidnapping which was rumpant in the Colony aud of selling the kidnapped women autt children as if they were mere chatteis. The principal Chinese residents (all honour be to then) were so impressed with the scandalous state of affairs in this respect that they memorialized the Governor, and through bim the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and they asked for permission to form
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an association for the purpose of suppressing this terrible crime; of protecting women and girls, and of restoring those who had beou kidnapped to their friends or relations. This permission was granted, and the Committee of The Tung Wa Hospital kindly placed at the disposal of the Po Leung Kuk Society a por- tion of their hospital tor the temporary ae- commodation of the destitute women and
been girls who had
rescued or might be rescued from the terrible fate which was intended for them. I hold in my hand a return which shows that during the four years ending in 1891 no less than 2,751 per- sons have been dealt with by the Society, and I have in my possession another return which shows that from 1888 to the end of 1895 the large number of 5,543 persons have been rescued by this Society, the greater number of whom have been sent to their homes or handed over to their relatives. This is, indeed, a record of good work. It is one which must recommend itself to every honest and respectable resident in the Colony. I canuot myself imagine any more use- ful, charitable, and Christian-like work.
It has i been well said by Adelaide Procter that "God has glory when His children bring His poor ones joy and peace." Well, joy and peace must have been brought to many a troubled house- hold by the restoration of girls by this Society to their own relatives and their own homes, and who dare assert that God has not been glorified thereby And let me say here that the rules and regulations under which the Poi Leung Kuk Society have so long and so successfully worked were drawn up by our eminent Q.C., Mr. Francis, whom we are all glad to see amongst us again restored to health after his serious illness. Well, ladies and gentle- men, you can easily understand that with so much work to do it was impossible, and it is impos- sible, for the Po Leung Kuk Society to do that work well and effectually in the cramped and unsuitable premises lent to them so liberally by the Tang Wa Hospital Committee. I consider that the Government and the community are i much indebted to the Tung Wa Hospital Com- mittee for the charitable assistance they have for so long given to the Po Leung Kuk, and we, the Government and the community, are still further indebted to the Tung Wa Hospital 1 Committee for handing over to this Society, for their new building, a site which was granted to the Tang Wa Committee some years ago for charitable purposes. You will wish to know how this new home is to be paid for. I will tell you. The Chinese residents have subscribed amongst themselves the handsome sum of $30,040) towards it, and the Government, recognizing the utility and value of the Po Leung Kuk Society's efforts, has added to that amount a further sum of $20,000. With that $50,000 new and suitable buildings will be erected for the pur. peses of this institution on the site of which we how stand. Ladies and gentlemen, I am glad to lay this stons this afternoon. You must agree with me in thinking that the past success of the Po Leung Kuk Society has been very great. It would be impossible to run such an institution on European lines or ander European management. The Po Leung Kuk Society has proved itself worthy of confidence, and I ask you to concur with me in the hope I now express that its future success may be greater still, that it may be the means of minimizing, if not entirely of suppressing, this disgusting traffic, and therefore may be a permanent bless- ing to the present and future generations of Chinese women and girls.
Hon. Ho KAI then handed a silver trowel and a silver mounted mallet to his Excellency, who thereupon smoothed the mortar and the stone was placed in its proper position under the super- vision of Mr. Denison, the architect. After topping the stone,
His EXCELLENCY said-Ladies and gentle. meu, I declare this stone to be well and truly luid, and I ask you now to adjourn to the Tung Wa Hospital Committee Room.
A photograph of the group was then taken. and Hon. Ho KAY called for three cheers for his Excellency, which wore beartily given. The
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