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February 4, 1907.]
HONGKONG BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
ANNUAL MEETING.
WBS
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
demands in the early part of it for payment of passages to England which it seemed impossible to refuse. Consequently, in later cases less substantial help to deserving cases has been available than the Committee would gladly have render d.
The Hongkong Benevolent Society founded in September, 1889, "for theu: pose of rendering assistance in cases of sickness, want, poverty or distress arising from time to time amongst persons other than members of the Portuguese or Chinese community in the Colony," It is an attempt to introduce method and organisation into charitable efforts; and to secure by careful investigation of all cases that help shall chiefly be given to the most needy and the most deserving. The relief given varies | with the individual cases. Some are granted passage money to enable them to get back to home lands; some are helped to pay their rents; certain children, left orphans and destitute, are being maintained at school; employment is found for not a few who have been stranded in in the Colony; and a little temporary assistance is given to many, helping them through a orisis a d sometimes towards a fresh start in life. The income of the Society is derived from subscriptions and donations. The condition of | membership is the subscription of $12 per annum. This gives the privilege of recommend ing cases for investigation by the committee. Any sum paid to the Society, other than by way of subscription, is deemed a donation. Äly acknowledging the much generous help donation of not less than $5 entitles the donor to a life membership of the Society.
The subscribers for 190ti were--Mrs. Badeley, Mrs. Murray Bain, Mr. T. Barton. Mr. Beavis, Dr. Bell, Lady Berkeley, Mr. Bowdler, Mr. F. B. Bowley, Mrs Brewin, Mr. Frank Browne, Mr. H. Butterworth, Mrs. Caldwell, Mrs, Duu- | can Clark, Mr. de Champeaux, Mrs. Chatham, Mrs. Cruickshank, Mrs. Tronehard Davis, Mr. Haver Droze, Mrs. Dunn, Mrs. Ehmer, Mr.¦ Fletcher, Mr. G. Friesland, Mrs. Fullerton, Mrs. Fuchs, Mr. C. L. Gorham, Mrs. Griffin, Mrs. Hancock, Mrs. Hett, Mrs. Von Der Heyde, Mrs. Hiek ing, Mrs. Hoare. Mr. T. F. Hongh, Mrs. Jones Hughes, Mrs. Hunter, M18. Jessen, Mrs. Patrick Jones, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Justi, Messrs. Kadoorie & Co.. Mrs. Kruger. Mrs. Barnes Lawrence, Mrs. Muster, Mr. H.N. Medy, Mrs G C. Moxou, Mrs. Parr, Mrs. Peter, Mrs. Piercy, Lady Pigott, Mrs. R. Saint Pierre, Mr. F. Salinger, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Savory, Miss iebs, Mrs. H. W. Slade, Mrs. Marcus Slade, Mrs. Stedman, Mr. M. J. D. Stephens, Mrs. Gershom Stewart, Mr. Murray Stewart. Mr. A. G. Stokes, Mrs. Swan, Mr. E. Swart, Mrs. J. C. Thomson, Mrs. Tomkins, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Wells, Mr. J. Whittall, and Mrs. Pateson Wright.
The cases that have leen given relief during the past year fairly well illustrate all the phases of the Society's operations. The large propor tion of the money that has been at disposal has been spent on passages but considerable sums have also been devoted to the maintenance of certain orphau children who are dependent on the Society, to monthly allowances during shorter or longer periods to several widows, and to the finding of temporary board and ledging for not a few who were in sore straits. Mrs. Gershom Stewart left the Colony in April, and her place on the Committee, with the office of Hon. Treasurer, was taken by Mrs. J. Hastings, Mrs. Peter also left in March, and Mrs. Hoare, Į who had returued, was invited to re-join the Committee. On the departure of Mrs. Dickson, the President, in May. Lady Berkeley, Vice
President, was elected to be President, and was succeeded as Vice President by Mrs. Badeley, With great regret and deep sympathy the Committee took leave of Mrs. Hoare and Mrs. Barnes-Lawrence in the peculiarly sad cir- cumstances in which they returned to England,
In conclusion, the Committee, while grateful- !
accorded to them during the past year in their efforts for the relief of the needy, respectfully urge upon the Hongkong community as a whole the urgent need that exists for a more widely extended financial support of the Society in the important work it has undertaken. A reference to the epitome of cases dealt with during the year will afford ample evidence that this is no haphazard charity, every case being personally investigated by members of the Committee, or through the reference Committee, before any application is dealt with. But lack of funds has seriously crippled the Committee's efforts during the year 1906; and, in now demitting office, they beg from the public for their successors a more liberal provision of the wherewithal to satisfactorily meet the demands of the Society, which are increasing with the increasing European population.- JEAN B. THOMSON, Hon. Secretary.
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is the means now at the disposal of the Society, will have the effect of inducing members of the community to come forward with donations and subscriptions (applause). I beg to move the adoption of the report and balance sheet.
Mrs. HASTINGS seconded the motion. Mr. HICKLING-May I ask, Sir, how many cases have come within the scope of the guarantee fund, and also what was the balance at the beginning of the year as compared with the balance at the end of last year?
The CHAIRMAN ----' The balance carried over from 1905 was $988.03, and there were five cases dealt with under the guarantee scheme.
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Mr. HICKLING said he would like, as the sola representative of a generous public, to support the passing of the annual report. He took it that the attendance of the public was never very large at annual meetings of societies of this kind, unless there was going to be a row. When things were going smoothly the public believed that the funds were being administered properly, and usually left the committee severely alone at its annual meeting. Probably they were not equal to the strength of taking out an umbrella that morning, and that had added to the paucity of the attendance, but there were points in the report, which as Mr. May had said, should re- 'commend themselves very strongly to the general public. Although the Society was crippled by the payment of so many passages, it had saved the community a very considerable amount of trouble in cases of which he knew, in which people, perhaps foolishly, had brought themselves into the position of being dollarless in this Colony. If such people had been allow- ed al continue bere they would inevitably have lost their self-respect, and would have gone into the ranks of the destitute very speedily. He believed sending such persons home meant send- ing them to those who would undertake to help them into their former positions, or better ones. The persons concerned were undoubtedly economical and careful in their payment of passages away, and it was pity they were 80 far crippled for funds that other cases perhaps could not be dealt with as adequately as the judgment of the committee would have directed. But not- withstanding that a considerable amount had been given the Society, still the special appeal made did not seem to have fallen on very willing ears: perhaps during the latter part of the year the Society had been injured in the same way as all philanthropic institutions had in this Colony, through the appeal for a special typhoon fund. He knew that hospitals, for instance, were many thousand dollars down this year for no other reason than the special call made, and they would have rather pitiable tale to fell at the end of the financial year. Therefore he trusted that the committee would not be altogether discouraged in not having obtained more personal subscribers. Now that we had an American Consul who was in sympathy with the objects of the Society lie trusted that through bis efforts the American community here would be made considerably more responsive than in the past, At the same time it looked as if one of the mainstays of the Society must be some special effort made once every year, įsomething in the form of an entertainment to which the public would respond. It would mean a great deal of trouble and bother A statement signed Dorothy Hastings, Hon. which ought not to be put on the committer, Treasurer, showed that $2.205.71, was expended who mainly ought to exert their efforts in relief, as against only $1 for administration to the administering rather than to the During the year fourteen cases were brought costs. This left a balance in bank of 8208,56. gathering of fands. He thought if the new under the consideration of the Committee, and The Hon. Mr. F. H. May, C.M.G., presided committee considered the matter, something assistance was given in eleven cases, as shown at the annual meeting held in the City Hall on might be done in that way so as to fill the in the brief cutline of cares attached.
January 9th. There were present Lady coffers of the Society for a year, or perhaps two Eighteen other cases received relief through Berkeley, Mesdames May, Hickling, Atkinson, years. The balance sheet of the Society seemed the Rev. J. H. France, M.A., to whom the Kruger. Badeley, Saunders, Thomson, Marcus to show that the public was either forgetful thanks of the Committee are again tendered for ! Slade and John Hastings, Hon. Mr. H. H. J. of the food work done, or did not appreciate it, the substantial help be contindes to reuder, hy | Giómpertz, Hou. Dr. Atkinson and the lov. but he thought the special needs he had investigating cases, and by rendering temporary, C. H. Hickling.
mentioned militated against the balance being immediate assistsuce to such as he considers in | The CHAIRMAN (having read the report)—I anything like what it was last year, If the Ben. need of this. It is matter for much regret that' think the Society is to be congratulated on the erolent Society had B balance of fow on account of lack of funds recently it has been good work it has done during the past year, and thousand dollars it would make people tighten possible to place only $15 a mouth at Mr. I bope the Hongkong public will respond to пр their purses a little more, but in its France's disposal, instead of $25 monthly pre- the appeal that is being made in the report for present state they should respond to the appeal, viously available, since this repartment of the
more generous assistance
There is no doubt for there was no society in Hongkong doing Society's operations is probably one of the most that this Seeiely ought, to be supported, and letter though utterly unobtrusive work, and practically important sides of its work.
perhaps it is not supported as well as it should those who saw most knew how very careful and The Society's funds have been at a low level j be. I trust that the publication of this report, | judicious was the administration of funds most of the year owing to unusually heavy and of the balance sheet showing how slender ' (applause).
Donations and augmented subscriptions were received from H.E. Sir Matthew Nathan, Mrs. Irving, (balance of school fund), W. G. Hum phreys & Co., on behalf of Messrs. Gostage & Co., proceeds part fine for local infringement of their patent; Mrs. Slade, Mr. G. Friesland, Mrs. Moxon, Mr. M. J. D. Stephens, Mr. C. L. Gorbam, Mr. T. F. Hough, Mr. Murray Stewart, Mr. A. G. Stokes, Mrs Denison, Mrk. Osborne, Mr. G. Woods, Mrs. Watson and
Mrs. Francis Clark.
The following were added to the list of life members (which now numbers 76):-
Mr. W. Goetz, Mr. A. Bryer. Mrs. Dickson, Mr. R. Fuhrmann, Hon. W. J. Gresson, Dr. A. P. Wilder.
The seventeenth annual report, ss submitted at the meeting yesterday included the following paragraphs :-
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The Rev. J. H. France submitted a report of the “Guarantee Scheme, saying, in part: During the year 1906 there was, in Hongkong, very little of that type of destitution for which the Guarantee Scheme was intended to provide, and the calls upon the guarantors were in consequence fewer than in the previous year. In all five cases were dealt with, and only two out of the number were seamen. These men being of African blood could not be admitted to the Sailors' Home, and so an arrangement was made by which they were admitted to a board ing house in Lascar Row on the understanding that they were to receive European food. Employment was found for each of these men on a river, steamer. Of the remaining three, the found employment and got away from the Colony, one was sent to Australia, whence he had come, Messrs. lintterfield and Swire kindly giving him a passage on payment of small sum for food, and the third was allowed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Co, to work a passage to Canada, where he is certain to find work.
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