CO129-413 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [8-10] — Page 274

41196

2260CT 14)

1914572

Hongkong, 20th August, 1914

+

Dear Sir Henry May,

As you wished me to ascertain the state of affairs

of the late Sir Kai Ho Kai I now beg to send you the following statement for your information.

Sir Kai died on the 21st of July 1914 leaving a widow, 10 sons and 7 daughters surviving him. The eldest daughter was born by his first wife and all the others by the present Lady Ho Kai. Of his sons the eldest and second are married but they are not doing anything or earning sufficiently to support their wives who are still dependent on the mother-in-law. His third and fourth sons are now studying at the Hongkong University and his fifth son was at St. Stephen's College last term but I understand he has now passed the University Entrance Examination. His 6th and 7th sons are attending St. Paul's College and the 8th, 9th and 10th sons are still young whose ages are respectively 5, 3 and 2 years.

of his daughters the eldest one is in England who, from her mother's estate, has sufficient means to support herself. The second, third and fourth daughters are all married the latter only last year. The other three unmarried daughters are respective ly 16, 12 and 7 years of age.

With the exception of the second son all the other sons are in Hongkong, so that at the present moment there are 9 sons and 3 daughters and 2 daughters-in-law, 14 persons in all, dependent on Lady Ho Kai for maintenance and support.

With regard to Sir Kai's financial position at the time of his death I beg to state that he left nothing beyond the furniture at his house also some old law books at his chambers. Before these things are valued I cannot positively state what they are worth but I don't think they will fetch more than a couple of thousand dollars when realised, including furniture brought into the family by his daughters-in-law. His indebtedness amounts to about £7,000 chiefly due to Mr. Au Tack for loans to meet family expenses.