CO129-312 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [7-9] — Page 434

1900

chought of the wjetched plight of the many who were thus decrived of the homes. When he returned to Government House he raised a fund by public subscription for the relief of the

aistressed.

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In summer in the present year the collapse of the few horses in Cochrane Street killed a good number of persons. /The next morning His Excellency paid a personal visit to the

scene of the calamity and after examining the place, gave instructions for his officers to procure more men to clear away the debris, with the nope that some of those buried under the heap of ruins might still be saved.

The above are, again, illustrations of his humanity

which is displayed even in a slight matter when it affects the

interest of the people.

For the last few years during Spring and Summer

plague has been prevalent in the Colony. In addition to asking

the directors of the fung la Hospital to ouild a branch Hospital

for Smallpox and Flague, His Excellency ordered the establish-

ment of public bath-houses with the object of stamping out

clague. He has always tried to help the Chinese cut of their

difficulties and if he has not been able to carry cut his

desire to the full, it is because the Crdinances stood in the

way. For instance when the Chinese gentry requested, in their

petition, that plague sufferers might be permitted to be

removed to their country for treatment, His Excellency stated

in reply that if it was in his power to do anything that would

benefit the Chinese he would not mind what other people would

say. From this statement alone we can have some idea of the kind:

disposition