Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 917

(See pages XLVII et seq.)

[ XLII]

6. The Committee had already obtained an advance of $15,000 and between $3,000 and $4,000 more had been expended by the Government in sundry matters connected with the building and preparing the ground, independent of the value of the site, which was a gift from the Queen to the Chinese community. Assuming, there- fore, $115,000 as the limit of the total advance in aid by Government, I found there was a balance still remaining due to the undertaking of $96,760. I therefore publicly handed a cheque for that amount to the Registrar General, in his character of Protector of the Chinese. Of that money $6,760 has been paid to the Committee to defray expense of furniture, and as cash for other contingencies; the balance ($90,000) is invested at present in the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank as a fixed deposit for 3 years in the name of the Colonial Secretary for the time being, and bears interest at the rate of 5 per cent per annum. Three of the Committee are entitled to draw cheques for the amount of interest as it accrues, but the principal cannot be touched.

7. Although there are as yet no data from which to form an estimate of the annual cost of the building it seems likely that the above interest, say, $5,000 backed by a subscription of $7,000 as promised by the Chinese, should suffice for the cost of vaccina- tion, medicines, medical comforts, attendance, fuel, &c., &c. This, however, is a point which experience alone can solve satisfactorily, and I fear there is a risk of an undue proportion of destitute persons and incurables making their way to the Hospital from Canton and elsewhere, if the treatment and general management of the institution obtain, as I hope it will; a favourable and widely spread reputation.

8. I need only add that a vigilant supervision is intended to be maintained over the accounts and expenditure by Auditors appointed by Government, and who at present are the Registrar General for the time being and the Superintendent of the Central Schools.

9. The Ordinance (No. 3 of 1870) under which the Committee is incorporated seems to me to contain every useful and requisite power for facilitating the action of the Committee of Management, whilst equally useful powers for controlling and pre- venting abuses are reserved to the Executive.

10. Certainly, if the spirit and business-like aptitude for conducting the under- taking, which has been hitherto exhibited by the Committee, be continued, it seems highly improbable that the intervention of Government will be needed for a long time. Nevertheless, the more continuous and frequent the supervision maintained by Officers of the Government, whether daily or weekly, or monthly, the more improbable will be the chance of any great abuse having time to mature, and this is a point on which I hope my successor may entertain the same views as myself.

11. On the whole I can conscientiously say that I look forward with cheerfulness and hope to the future of the Hospital, and feel thankful that I have been permitted to take so leading a part in extracting finally so much good from the original abuses, which disgraced the "I-Ts'z" Hospital and led to the present important undertaking your Lordship and Her Majesty's Government have done so much to counten- ance and promote.

which

The Right Honourable

I have, &c.,

RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL,

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY,

Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State.

Governor.