to be open, and I am very glad indeed that this the second and final function has devolved upon me. When I laid the foundation stone I spoke at some length of the good which had been performed by the Po Leung Kuk Society, of the thousands of persons it had rescued from a life of shame and infamy, and of the numbers of persons to whom the Society had given refuge, notwithstanding the inadequate and unsuitable premises which the Po Leung Kuk then possessed. I have now to congratulate you upon the completion of this new building erected, I believe by our rising architect, Mr Denison, and to say that although I have not been over it myself—I hear that though rather small it is in every way admirably suited for the purpose for which it is intended. I take this opportunity of assuring you that I shall be ready at all times to give my support to the Po Leung Kuk Society, and to assist it in all the good and charitable work it may undertake, and I am sure that my successors in office will follow in my footsteps in this respect. Mr President and gentlemen, I have had much pleasure in presenting that tablet to the Po Leung Kuk Society, and I will read you a translation of it as it may be of interest to you. It is headed:
I
'I regard them as my own children.' The object of the Po Leung Kuk is the suppression of kidnapping and the protection of Chinese women and girls. The merits of the society, which has been managed hitherto by a Committee under the direction of the Government, are well-known, and have met with the approval of the Imperial Government.
Hitherto the society has been compelled to make use of the premises of the Tung Wah Hospital, but now in accordance with the benevolence of Her Majesty which embraces all alike, I have granted a piece of land, on which to erect buildings, and on the completion of these, I have selected a sentence from the Book of Odes appropriate to the society. Although I am not versed in Chinese literature I think I have chosen a suitable quotation, its meaning being that protection is accorded to all regardless of race, and my wish is that all those who may be in authority in this Colony will be guided by this principle.
The Government and the Po Leung Kuk will in this matter work hand in hand for the common good. Of that, gentlemen, I am perfectly well assured, and it only remains for me now to declare that the institution is now open, and reiterate the hope which I expressed when I laid the foundation stone—May its success in the future be even greater than its success in the past, and may it be a permanent blessing to the many Chinese women and girls who may come into this Colony of Hongkong. I have great pleasure in declaring that this building is open and in wishing the work of the Po Leung Kuk Society every success.
The following toasts were then proposed. Dr Ho Kai—Your Excellency and gentlemen, I give you the usual loyal toast of "The Queen." God bless her.
Mr Wei A Yuk—I beg to propose the health of His Excellency the Governor. His good qualities are already known to you all, and, therefore, there is no necessity for me to add anything more. I ask you to drink to his very good health.
Dr Ho Kai called for three cheers for His Excellency, which were most enthusiastically given.
His Excellency the Governor said—Gentlemen, I thank you very cordially for the pleasing manner in which you have proposed the toast of my health. I need not allude to that part which refers to my qualities, because they are known to all of you, as has been said. I have had the greatest pleasure in doing anything I could in any Colony for the common good of the people, and this Society is one which has the good of all at heart. This may, perhaps, be one of the closing functions of my administration here, because, as you know, my term of office will expire next year, and I shall take away with me from Hongkong the pleasantest recollections of the association I have had with the leading members of the Chinese community.
Mr Ho Fook said—May it please your Excellency, and gentlemen, I have much pleasure in proposing the toast of the Society, coupled with the name of the President, Mr Stewart Lockhart. We all know what good work the Society has done, and therefore it is needless for me to make a long speech. The Society has seen its ups and downs, but we hope its troubles are all over now. To Mr Lockhart, as President, the success of the Society is in great measure due, and it is our hope it will continue to do the good work it has done in the past. We are glad to see amongst us Mr Fung Ming Shan, who is one of the promoters of the Society. With these few remarks I ask you to join with me in drinking success to the Society.
Mr J. H. Stewart Lockhart said—Your Excellency, Ho Fook and gentlemen, I thank you very much indeed for the kind manner in which you have received the toast of the Po Leung Kuk Society. I trust that now we are in possession of a home, that the work of the Society, which has been fairly successful in the past, may be still more so in the future. The success of the Society has been due to the combined efforts of the members of the Chinese community, who, regardless of self-sacrifice and self-interest, have devoted themselves to the work which everybody must admire. I am sure that the fact of your Excellency having taken such an interest in the Society will encourage its members to renewed efforts. The Society may be now regarded as fairly established, and it is to be hoped the interest in it will become still greater. Although the evil, to cope with which the Society was established owing to its efforts has decreased, it still exists, and unless these efforts are continued I am afraid that the evil may become a crying one. It therefore behoves all those interested in the good work not in any way to relax their efforts but to endeavour with all their might to have the evil entirely eradicated. I am sorry that the gentlemen who took a prominent part in the establishment of the Society are not present but it must be gratifying to them to know that their efforts are now recognised, and that they are having such excellent effect. I thank you very much again, gentlemen, and I would only say in conclusion that although the Society is now in a fairly prosperous condition it is still open to receive subscriptions without distinction of race, and those who feel inclined to help the Society can do nothing better than come forward with subscriptions. Again I thank you very much for the manner in which you have received the toast, and I trust your interests in the Society will not be confined to attending functions such as this, but that you will come forward with active assistance or with funds. The Committee and others who are engaged in this work will be glad to give any information desired and to show any member of the community of Hongkong over the premises.
The company was photographed, and His Excellency and party were then shown over the building.
231
to be open, and I am very glad indeed that this the second and final function has devolved upon me. When I laid the foundation stone I spoke at some length of the good which had been performed by the Po Leung Kuk Society, of the thousands of persons it had rescued from a life of shante and infamy, and of the numbers of persons to whom the Society had given refuge, notwithstanding the inadequate and un- suitable premises which the l'o Loung Kuk then possessed. I have now to congratu lato you upon the completion of this new building erected, I believe by our rising architect, Mr Denison, and to say that although I have not been over it my self-I hear that though rather small it is in 'every way admirably suited for the purpose for which it is intended. take this opportunity of assuring you that I shall be ready at all times to give my support to the Po Leung Kuk Society, and to assist it in all the good, and charitable work it may undertake, and I ARI sure that iny successors in office will follow in my footsteps in this respect. Mr President and gentlemen, I have had much pleasure in presenting that tablet to the Po Leung Kuk Society, and I will read you a translation of it as it may be of interest to you. It is headed :---
I
'I regard them as my own children.' The object of the Pó Loung Kuk is the suppression of kidnapping and the protec tion of Chinese women and girls. The merits of the society, which has been man- aged hitherto by a Committee under the direction of the Government, are well- known, and have met with the approval of the Imperial Government.
Hitherto the society has been compelled to make use of the premises of the Tung Wá Hospital, but now in accordance with the benevdence of Her Majesty which embraces all alike, I have granted a piece of land, on which to erect buildings, and on the completion of these, I have selected a sentence from the Book of Odes appro- priate to the society. Although I am not versed in Chinese literature I think I have! chosen a suitable quotation, its meaning being that protection is accorded to all re- gardless of race, and my wish is that all those who may be in authority in this Colony will be guided by this principle,
The Government and the Po Leung Kuk will in this matter work hand in hand for the common good. Of that, gentlemen, I anı perfectly well assured, and it only remains for me now to declare that the institution is now open, and reiterate the hope which I expressed when I laid the foundation stone--May its success in the future be even greater than its success in the past, and may it be a permanent blessing to the many Chinese women and girls who may come into this Colony of Hongkong. I have great pleasure in declaring that this building is open and in wishing the work of the Po Leung Kuk Society overy suc
cesa.
The following toasts were then proposed. Dr Ho Kai-Your Excellency and gen- tlemen, I give you the usual loyal toxst of "The Queen.' God bless her.
Mr Wei A Yuk-I beg to propose the health of His Excellency the Governor. His good qualities are already known to you all, and, therefore, there is no neces- sity for me to add anything more. I ask you to drink to his very good health.
Dr Ho Kai called for three cheers for His Excellency, which were most enthusiasti cally given.
His Excellency the Governor said---Gen- Elemen, I thank you very cordially for the pleasing manner in which you have proposed! the toast of my health. I need not allude to that part which refors to my qualities, because they are known to all of you, as has been said. I have had the greatest pleasure in doing anything I could in any
Colony
oodony which I have been for the common good of the people, and this Society is one which has the good of all at heart. This may, perhaps, be one of the closing func tions of my administration here, because, as you know, my term of office will expire next year, and I shall take away with me from Hongkong the pleasantest recollec- tions of the association I have had with the leading members of the Chinese com- :munity,
Mr Ho Fook said-May it please your Excellency, and gentlemen, I have much pleasure in proposing the toast of the So- ciety, coupled with the name of the Pre- sident, Mr Stewart Lockhart. We all know what good work the Society has done, and therefore it is needless for me to make મ long speech. The Society has seen its ups and downs, but we hope its troubles are all over now. To Mr Lockhart, as President, the success of the Soolety is in great measure due, and it is our hope it will continue to do the good work it has done in the past. We are glad to see amongst us Mr Fung Ming Shan, who is one of the promoters of the Society. With these few remarks I ask you to join with me in drinking success to the Society. Mr J. H. Stewart Lookhart said-Your Excellency, Ho Fook and gentlemen, I thank you very much indeed for the kind manner in which you have received the toast of the Po Leung Kuk Society. I trust that now we are in possession of a home, that the work of the Society, which has been fairly successful in the past, may be still more so in the future. The success in the past has not been due to any individual efforta, and Just of all to any humble efforts on my part. The
success!
mem-
of the Society has been due to the combined efforts of the members of the Chinese community, who, regardless of self- sacrifice and self-interest, have devoted themselves to the work which everybody must admire. I am sure that the fact of your Excellency having taken such an interest in the Society will encourage its members to renewed efforts. The Society may be now regarded as fairly established, and it is to be hoped the in- terest in it will become still greater. Al though the erfi, to cope with which the Society was established owing to its efforts has decreased, it still exists, and unless these efforts are continued I am afraid that the evil may become a drying one. It therefore bohoves all those in- terested in the good work not in any way to relax their efforts but to endeavour with all their might to have the evil entirely eradicated. I am sorry that the bera who took a prominent part in the es- tablishment of the Soviety are not present but it must be gratifying to them to know that their efforts are now recognised, and that they are having such excellent ef fect. I thank you very much again, gentle- men, and I would only say in conclusion that although the Society is now in a fairly pro- sperous condition it is still open to receive subscriptions without distinction of race, and those who feel inclined to help the Society can do nothing better than come forward with subscriptions. Again I thank you very much for the man- ner in which you have received the! tuast, and I trust your interests in the Society will not be confined to attending functions such as this, but that you will come forward with active assistance or with funds. The Committee and others who are engaged in this work will be glad to give any information desired and to show any member of the community of Hong- kong over the premises.
The company was photographed, and His Excellency and party were then shown over the building.
231
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