Sessional_Paper_1884-1885 — Page 262

HONGKONG.

REPORT ON THE SUBJECT OF DESTITUTES.

Presented to the Legislative Council by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

HONGKONG, 1st May, 1885.

259

No. 25.

SIR,

The Committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor to enquire into the subject of Destitutes in this Colony have taken the various points referred to them into consideration, and beg to report as follows:

2. The Committee consider that Legislative measures are necessary to check the influx of destitutes, but that such measures can never be expected to get rid of the destitute class altogether. A proper organisation for dealing with such destitutes as must always present themselves in greater or less numbers will tend, the Committee think, to decrease rather than to increase destitution, as it will bring the men under observation, and will enable persistent measures to be taken to keep the Colony clear of them. The main evil to be overcome would seem to be the mistaken charity which finds its outcome in indiscriminate distribution of money to men who have no intention of working so long as they can prey on good-natured people.

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3. The Committee consider that a Government Casual Ward should be instituted, and that it should be called simply the Shelter. There would appear to be no alternative but to attach it to the Gaol, where in fact such an institution has existed in embryo for many years. To complete the scheme of the Committee, a building will undoubtedly be necessary, but they recommend that the experiment be tried with existing means, until experience shows what amount of success is attainable and what accommodation would be required.

4. The Committee recommend that admission to this Shelter should be by printed ticket, space being left on each ticket for the name and a short description of the man relieved, which particulars the giver of the ticket would be requested to insert. In view, however, of the improbability that these details would be always or even often supplied, the Committee are not prepared to suggest that they should be made compulsory. Each ticket should cover board and lodging for 24 hours, and should not be transferable. Such tickets should be sold at the Treasury, in books of 20, the price of each book being $3.

5. The Committee further recommend that, if it can be arranged at a moderate expense, permanent advertisements should be inserted in the Newspapers explain- ing this system, and dissuading benevolent persons from relieving destitutes with

money.

6. Books of Tickets for free distribution should be furnished to the Harbour Master, the Captain Superintendent of Police, the Police Magistrates, and to other Heads of Departments, if they find it necessary to have them.