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ngkong.
Enclosure 1.
Extract from the debate on the Annual Estimates."
9th. November, 1911.
Hon. Mr. Hewett
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I now come to the Tuna io Asylum, and I am glad to hear your Excellency has that matte under consideration. It was a question which I intended to bring up at this meeting. We can not but consider that considerab o improvement might be made in that direction. As a tem. porary housing for lunatics the building is ap parently all that onld be desired. Some of the unofficial members before making criticisms oa the asylum thought it would be advisable to again visit the place, and we did so, the P.C.M.O. being good enough to show us over it. As far as the Chinese are concerned, they are kept here for a short time, and their accommodation and housing is the best poss ble. The only sugges tion we have to make in that direction is that they should be sent at more frequent intervals to Cauton so as to reduce their stay in Hong. kong. With regard to the European section, in our opinion it is entirely inadequate for the! purpose. It is so constructed that there is practically no means for any of the unfortunate women in abitauts to have any exercise at all except in a sitting room. The men have a small yard which is shut in by high walls and they see practically nothing. The women have a view of the harbour from the verandah, but none of the inmates have any work to do and there is no means of getting work. We consider that į this is a m tier that should be changed, as if Europeans he put into that building it is in deed a case of all hope abandon ye who enter bera." There is no possibility of anyone with a weak mind recovering after entering a place like that. We are glad to know that your Excellency has the matter under consideration, and trust to be informed of what steps you i propose to take. There are two solutions to the question. One is that the site, which is a valuable one, be disposed of and a building Frented higher up the bill or on the mainland with more ample grounds where the inmates, if they pleased to do so, might engage in agricultur 1 pursuits. The alternative would be to treat the Europeans us the Chinese are, that is to say, return them to their native land at the expense of the Hoogkong Government, and have arrangements made with asylums in Europe, America and elsewhere, where they could be treated in larger establishments with others of their own nationality.
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Hon. Dr. Ho Kai
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As regards the lunatic asylum, 1 think some satisfactory arrangement should be made with regard to the Europeans, and also for sending the Chinese lunatics to some well arranged and well-conducted place in Canton. For their accommodation there we should certainly make a grant, and I hope the Government will entertain the proposal that if these lunatics are transferred to Can- ton they will be received in a well-conducted establishment there under foreign medical su- { Į pervision.
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Prut 4 MAR 12
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