Sessional_Paper_1892 — Page 186

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The Pó Léung Kuk Society considers the site will be in every way suitable for the purpose of a Home and it is conveniently situated for those who are interested (Not printed, but see in the work of the Society.

A plan of the building which it is proposed to erect is attached.

If there is no objection on the part of Government to the granting of the site, and if the plan of the building is approved generally, the question resolves itself into one of ways and means.

With regard to the financial aspect of the matter, I would point out that according to Ordinance 11 of 1890, the Women and Girls Protection Ordinance, it was evidently the intention of the Legislature that a Home should be provided out of the public revenue, and that the persons lodged in it should be maintained at the public cost.

Section 17 of that Ordinance seems clear on that point:

"It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, out of moneys to be "provided by the Legislative Council for that purpose, to provide a "suitable building or buildings for the purposes of temporarily "housing and maintaining women and girls detained under the provisions of this part of the Ordinance and as the Asylum for "them during such detention."

I should also mention that at Singapore and other places in the Straits Settle- ments, where Homes have been established under the Women and Girls Protection Ordinance, the cost of the building and the expenses of the upkeep have been and are being defrayed out of public moneys, and no subscription, like that raised in Hongkong among the Chinese, to which reference is made in the petition from the Pó Leung Kuk, has been collected in the Straits in aid of the Homes there.

The principle of Government support of a Home having been thus affirmed by the Legislative Council and embodied in one of the Ordinances of this Colony, which has received the sanction of Her Majesty the Queen, it would seem that all that now remains to be done, in the direction of giving aid towards the establish- ment of a Home and the maintenance of those entrusted to its care, is to consider the amount of financial assistance which the Legislative Council would be justified in affording to the Pó Léung Kuk and on what conditions such assistance should be given.

As is pointed out in the petition from the Committee of the Pó Léung Kuk, a subscription in aid of the Society was started among the Chinese community about the beginning of last year, and, notwithstanding the general depression in com- mercial circles, which was so prevalent during the past year, a sum amounting to $30,000 has been subscribed. The interest on this sum will only help to defray a portion of the annual expenses of the Society, which are estimated at from $5,000 to $6,000, and that is the reason why the Committee now apply for Government aid.

I understand that it is the intention of the Government to sell the five houses, the top-floors of which were intended for a Home. Their value together with that of the ground on which they stand has been estimated by the Surveyor General at $21,000. I would, therefore, recommend that the Legislative Council. be requested to vote that sum towards defraying the cost of building a Home, which if constructed in accordance with the plan referred to above will, I am inforned by the architect who made the plan, require an outlay of about $15,000. This would leave a balance of $6,000 which might be given as a grant-in-aid to the Society. I feel certain that, if the Government supports the establishment and maintenance of a Home as I suggest, the Chinese community, which has already subscribed so generously, will be willing to give still further substantial proof of its charity by annually subscribing towards the maintenance of those who come under the care of the Society. It is at present impossible to say whether those subscriptions together with the interest on the other funds will be sufficient to meet the expenses of the Society, but even if they are not, I presume the Government would be willing to make regular grants in proportion to the amount of the sub- scriptions from the Chinese community.

The Society also asks that it may be placed on a more satisfactory footing. At present it is recognised by the Government and the Rules referred to above have been approved by the Secretary of State. Seeing, however, that it is now a Society possessed of large funds, and that it will have to deal (if my recommenda-

Enclosure 3 for a descrip- tion of the building.)