Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 754

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of wardmasters you have in Hongkong. They ought to be trained men, and not the second mate off a ship or a policeman or any sort of untrained man. At the same time, I recognise that it is a difficult problem how yon are to get proper men. Soldiers of the Medical Staff Corps would volunteer if well paid.

Surely the Government has the means of obtaining stewards to do the work you have indicated ?-Well, I think there is one lady in the Colony, Miss MACKINTOSH, who would reform the Tung Wa in a very little time. She speaks Chinese. And a lady can do more in a hospital than a man. The internal discipline of the Tung Wa is defective. If this was remodelled the place would be at once improved. The surgical cases need a trained Chinese doctor, or a very kind sympathetic European surgeon who would win over the Chinese to his ways and treatment. I believe the place could be gradually reformed, and if a Medical Officer was made a member of the Chinese governing body he would gradually explain to them what was needed--pave the way for reforms and level the place up to a better standard.

The more recently built wards are good in structure and could be made very satisfactory. All that is needed is the directing mind--the location of the Hospital in the centre of the Chinese population is convenient for them-but I would separate the incurables and send them into the country and gradually detach the Home for the Dying to some other place leaving it purely a Hospital for acute cases needing treat-

ment.

This concluded the evidence.