Sessional_Paper_1893 — Page 809

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The CHAIRMAN.-There is no law there for the protection of Women and Children and the suppression of kidnapping?

Honourable T, H. WHITEHEAD.-I don't think so.

Honourable Ho KAI.-They have an Institution among the Chinese. I met a man the other day who had been Chairman of it.

Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-Purely Chinese ?

Honourable Ho KAI-Yes. It may develope into a Pó Léung Kuk because I know it has helped young girls back to Hongkong and places in the North, and also found them husbands and so on-rescuing them from brothels.

Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.—At our next meeting I wish to make a statement as to what I really meant and intended when I stated in the Legislative Council in April last that I regarded the Pó Léung Kuk as a Secret Society and I shall be prepared to make ample explanation and apology for any want of clearness in the language I then used and any annoyance which unintentionally has thereby been caused. I am not prepared to go into it to-day.

The CHAIRMAN. Perhaps you might make it in writing. It would save time.

Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-Yes, I am quite prepared to do so.

The CHAIRMAN.-Members will agree to Mr. WHITEHEAD making his statement in writing?

Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.-Then I would wish further to call you, Mr. Chairman, as a witness at our next meeting or at any time which would suit your convenience, for the purpose of your having the opportunity of contradicting certain statements which have been made to me, verbally and in confidence, and as I have already stated in the letter which I wrote to the Colonial Secretary on May 7th last.

The CHAIRMAN.-I don't quite understand, Mr. WHITEHEAD, to what you refer.

Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD. The paragraphs in my letter I refer to.

The CHAIRMAN.-Let me know clearly what has been said with regard to me and the names of your informants and I shall be perfectly prepared at the proper place and time to deal with those statements in the proper manner, but I do not consider that they form any part of this enquiry.

Honourable T. H. WHITEHEAD.--But I submit that they form a most important part of this enquiry. It is in connection with the special subscription raised last year. The Chinese come to the Government and say "We have raised so much money we now want a Home," and it is a very important matter for this Committee to know how the money was raised. Several of the Chinese have informed me, and I also have a letter here which I should like to read which bears on the subject and which has been referred to at one of our previous meetings. It is dated July 15th last and reads:--

35, POTTINGER STREET,

HONGKONG, 15th July, 1892.

SIR,

Being aware that you are busily making private enquiries regarding the Pó Leung Kuk, I beg to offer you my private assistance.

I had been interpreter in the Registrar General's Office for some time. I was discharged in May last. As a matter of fact I did not know upon what ground the Government dispensed with my service. The Government has done great injustice in my own case.

As regards Pó Leung Kuk I think it is my duty as a ratepayer to furnish you with all the information I can give regarding the working of the Pó Leung Kuk and the Registrar General's Office. The following is a short sketch of the information I can give which can be proved either by documents in the Registrar General's Office or the Pó Léung Kuk, or by witnesses that can be easily obtained :-

1. The Registrar General sent for Chinese merchants by scores day after day last year, to go to his office during office hours, and asked them to subscribe to the Pó Léung Kuk fund.