as a refuge on property known as Marine Lot No.295. The Missions to Seamen is also not self-supporting and has to
rely in part upon voluntary contributions. Its property, however, is in a more advantageous position for a Seamen's
Home, being more centrally situated.
The present Trustees of the Sailors' Home are
the senior representative of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson &
Co., Ltd. and the Harbour Master also on the appointment
of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce a
representative of Messrs. Butterfield & Swire and a
representative of Messrs. Mackinnon, Mackenzie.
The actual organization of the Missions to
Seamen in Hong Kong is a Committee embracing not only representatives of many of the Commercial firms of the
Colony, but also representatives of the Church of England
in the person of the Bishop, the Admiralty in the person
of the Commodore, and other representative people of
the Colony.
In the latter part of the year 1924 and the
first half of the year 1925 negotiations took place between
the Government and the Trustees of the Sailors' Home
with a view to the Sailors' Home (other than St. Peter's
Church) being acquired by the Government and rebuilt on
certain property at Kowloon Point, the terms of the arrangement being that the Government present the Sailors'
Home with land at Kowloon Point together with the sum of
$800,000 which was to be used for the new building, any
balance left over to be used for furnishing the Sailors'
Home and an Endowment Fund. Owing to the financial
collapse which took place during the latter half of the
year 1925 the arrangement was shelved, notwithstanding
that definite and complete arrangements had been actually
entered into between the Government and the Trustees of
the
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the Sailors' Home and expenses incurred (not yet met)
in the preparation of a complete set of plans for a new
home.
The Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong being the
owners of Marine Lot No.295 became entitled to certain
portions of the Praya East Reclamation, and an exchange of
this property for a more suitable one and adjacent thereto with the Hong Kong Land Investment Co., for the proposed new
home, had been arranged, but negotiations in this
connection are at present held up "pro tem" due to the
fact that the Government have indicated to the Hong Kong
Land Investment Co. that the property which they had
intended exchanging with the Missions may be required for
their own purposes.
In this event the Government would
allot the Hong Kong Land Investment Co. another site, which
unfortunately is not a suitable site for the new home.
The Missions propose in due course to dispose of their
present premises.
In view of the fact that the Sailors' Home for
reasons already mentioned is being run at a loss, the
Trustees of the Sailors' Home and the Representatives of
the Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong have entered into
joint negotiations with a view to the undertakings of
the Sailors' Home and the Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong
being eventually amalgamated and brought under one
organization and carried on in new premises in Hong Kong.
Until such time as the new Home is completed and
ready for occupation, it is proposed that the Missions to
Seamen will care for the interests and objects of the
Sailors' Home in their present premises.
In the final Agreement with the Missions to
Seamen in Hong Kong the latter will undertake :-
(a)
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(a) To carry out and fulfil in no less a degree
t
than at present the objects of the Sailors' Home.
(b) To allocate all moneys they receive from the
(၁)
Trustees of the Sailors' Home to the furtherance
of the present objects of the Sailors' Home.
(c) To retain the identity of the Sailors' Home by
naming the proposed new refuge "The Sailors'
Home and Seamen's Institute".
(d) To incorporate into their Committee in
perpetuity as Members of their Committee, which
shall not exceed 8 members in all, the senior
Representative in Hong Kong for the time being of
Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd. and two
Members nominated from time to time by the
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and also
the Harbour Master.
(e) By employing and continuing to employ, so long
as he shall wish to continue to be employed, and
so long as his services shall be satisfactory,
Captain Baylis, the present Superintendent of
the Sailors' Home, as the working Secretary and
Manager of the Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong.
(f) The new Sailors' Home to be open to all
irrespective of religion.
The effect of the proposals will be to
constitute the Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong the Trustees to carry out the present objects of the Sailors' Home thereby preserving its present objects and in a substantial
degree its present organization.
To enable these proposals to be put on a proper basis it will be necessary to amend the present Missions
to Seamen in Hong Kong Ordinance in several respects as it
is desirable for the purpose of ensuring the carrying out
of
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