Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 703

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So that under this order the Tung Wa Hospital is not to be allowed to take care of male destitutes ?-No; it only says the verandahs are not to be used for sleeping purposes. Unless they have some other building, it practically means that they cannot receive destitutes. The order was made under Ordinance 24 of 1887, but I should like to refer to my papers. I will refer to them and let you know the grounds upon which the notice has been served.

With regard to the small-pox wards, you think they are not desirable quarters ?— That is so, inasmuch as they are built up against a bank for five or six feet, the building must necessarily be a damp one.

But, at the same time, you think a Chinaman would be more comfortable there than in many of the tenement houses in Hongkong ?-Certainly, but that part wants improvement to fit it to be used as part of the Hospital. For storage purposes it would be quite sufficient, but for housing sick people it ought to be improved.

Is it your opinion that the Hospital is in a sanitary condition, or is there anything in connection with it which you think insanitary, and which should be remedied ?—They are remedying the bulk of the things that were in an insanitary condition. There may be more points which, if I were going over the Hospital carefully, would occur to me as requiring improvement. Generally speaking, after what is now being carried out has been completed, it will be in a very fair sanitary condition.

Dr. Ho KAI-You are aware of the improvements made during the last nine months under Mr. LEIGH's superintendence?—I know what they were carrying out. (Letters read dated 8th April, 1895, and 18th January, 1896.) I know what was being see Appen- carried out then, and the works must be nearly completed by this time.

If all these works have been carried out the Hospital will be in a sanitary condition? -In a fair sanitary condition. There may be small points requiring attention,

THE PRESIDENT-Is there anything you can suggest in the way of improvement beyond what you have referred to in your reports ?-Outside what I have dealt with in the reports I do not know of anything.

Speaking from your experience of the Colony, do you think it would be a good thing to continue the Hospital ?—If it is not to be continued, what is to be substituted in its stead, may I ask?

Could you suggest the substitution of anything in its place. It has been suggested that the Tung Wa should be abolished and that a wing for Chinese should be added to the Government Civil Hospital, or that a hospital, conducted on Western principles, should be substituted for the present Tung Wa Hospital ?—I do not think the Chinese would go willingly to such an hospital.

Mr. THOMSON-And have you any idea what the extra expenditure would be ?— No, one would require to sit down and calculate it very carefully.

$100,000 at least ?-Yes, I should think so.

THE PRESIDENT-You do not think it would be a popular institution ?—No; I am convinced it would not be. In time the Chinese might be educated up to it.

And what do you think would be the result of the abolition of the Tung Wa Hospital? Probably you would have dead-houses re-established, and these were a great public scandal in this place before the Tung Wa was established.

The patients would prefer to die in their houses rather than go to the Civil Hospital?-In a great many instances, yes. The Tung Wa Hospital is as much a place for the reception of people expecting to die very soon as it is for curing the sick.

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