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February 1, 1909.]
HONGKONG BENEVOLENT
SOCIETY.
The annual meeting of the Hongkong Benevolent Society was held on Jan. 27 at noon in the City Hall. Dr. Wilder, American Consul-General, presided, and there were also present: Mrs May, Mrs Peter, Mrs Atkinson, Mrs Edkins, Mrs Bunbury, Mrs Gompertz, Mrs Voretzsch, Mrs Jordan, Mrs Hickling, Mrs Hastings, Mrs Slade, Mrs Dunn, Mrs Hancock, Mrs Lander, Mrs Becker, Mrs Turner, Miss Innis, Mrs Gresson, Hon Mr Pollock, Revs. C. J. Hickling, F. T. Johnson, J. H. France.
The CHAIRMAN read the 19th annual report
as under:
The ladies of the Committee of the Hongkong Benevolent Society desire again to thank mem- bers and friends who through another
year have
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
saved from deterioration. The second guarantor, though not called upon in the ordinary way, very kindly permitted the full amount of his guarantee (860) to be used in relieving a case under the conditions of the scheme. In view of of distress which could not rightly be brought
scent on the whole better to discontinue the the very limited response of last year it would scheme and to invite any who might be disposed to become guarantors to contribute instead to the general funds of the Ladies' Benevolent Society.
JT
81
The Rev. C. JHICKLING, in seconding, con- gratulated the Society on the excellent report. He believed it was within the memory of those present that at the time the guarantee scheme of many undesirables from the surrounding was formed Hongkong was the dumping ground
resources was very great, and the accommodation countries and the strain upon the Society's in the cells at the House of Detention for the purpose was taxed to its utmost. However the dumping has been stopped and the main cause for the existence of the scheme has been meeting is held this day, has for twenty years
Dr. WILDER said:-This Society whose annual removed. It was well therefore that it had in this 'olony been a help to indigent Euromittee to no longer continue that scheme. Pro- commended itself to the wisdom of the com- peans. It has not been able to say to all such ceeding, he remarked that Hongkong was in Your troubles are over; we will carry you' the highway of the world's trade and many of all people in want, and a society would do misled by reports that Hongkong.......was an for no society is rich enough to defray all bills people came here, some of them unfortunately harm that attempted it; but, thanks to the El Dorado and that the streets were paved Hongkong Benevolent Society and its generous with gold, waiting to be picked up. It was very in distress to present himself or herself to Mr. which followed. supporters, it is now eligible for any European terrible the awakening and the disillusionment It was good, therefore that have the merits of the case threshed out. If it well as with others. The scope of the Society France or the Honorary Secretary, a lady, and the Society was able to cope with those casos.as. be a meritorious case, relief can be afforded to an extent; indeed it
was very great. It ranged from assisting child- is happy reading ren to obtain elementary education to assisting to see how many have been set on their the aged. It was als remarkable that it should feet. And if there be & factor of un- worthiness, the case is not wholly refused; opportunity of looking into the cases that had be so international in its scope. He had an for if you and I were turned down by parents, been dealt with, and in the 21 whose circum- friends and the Almighty, except when we were right, we would usually be found wrong side up.
stance were such as not to need detailing there There is a cold, practical. just attitude in dealing That, he thought, ought to appeal, to the were comprised nine different nationalities. with men that may have its place in certain cosmopolitan character of Hongkong, and relations as, for instance, in the conduct of induce them to help the Society which endea- business; but this attitude will not get far in voured to help the helpless of whatever nationa the upbuilding of men and women who are down. lity they might be. It had been noted with great Justice is a majestic thing, but its field is the satisfaction that assistance had been given by Mr. tribunal and the market place, rather than in France, and as most of the cases were from sailor the operation of a society for the unfortunate, life it was very good that they had the assistance the suffering and the weak. Humanity touches of the seaman's chaplain. In conclusion-he said he wished to emphasise the increasing advantage to the community of such a society, a society which carefully investigated cases of need. It was a discriminating form of help which did not themselves. pauperise but helped the unfortunate to help
given them the means of carrying out the objeots of the Society, and have much pleasure in submitting the annual report and statement of accounts for the year 1908. The number of applicants this year has been greater than last; many have applied during the course of the year whose cases are not detailed in this report; some have been refused as unworthy of assistance, others were not within the scope of the Society and others have obtained work through letters of introduction, or by influence of the members of the Committee. Twenty-one have received assistance with money, clothes, board and lodg. ing until work could be found, or passages paid to various places where they had promise of work. We have had very few residents applying for help; most of our cases this year have been men who came to Hongkong with the belief that there was plenty of work to be got, and have become destitute in honestly trying to find it; some of course have drifted here as rolling stones and are not entirely satisfactory cases to help, but it is difficult to definitely class them as undeserving. Unfortunately, we cannot follow our cases to their conclusions, but we have had several instances this year of apparently un desirable characters, who but, for the Society, would have been practically starving, and by the help given have turned over a new leaf, and are regaining their positions and in some cases they have refunded what the Society has spent on them, and have also sent money to pay debts left behind in the Colony. Such cases amply compensate for mistakes and dis- appointments in others.
Twenty-six other cases have received help through the Rev. J. H. France, 'he Seamen's Chaplain, who gives invaluable assistance to the Society by investigating cases and helping the deserving As Mr. France is leaving the Colony in May the Committee take this opportunity of thanking him most sincerely for all the valuable help which he has given during the past ten years. He will be greatly missed and our very best wishes go with him to his new field of labour. (Applause.) The Society has paid for the support and education of four children during the past year. One girl has finished her education and writes expressing gratitude for
all the Society has done for her. One old man, too old to work, who received a monthly allowance, died last month. The thanks of the Committee are due to the who have assisted as by grating reduced pas- managers of the various steamship companies sages. The following ladies retire as they are leaving the Colony for a time: Mrs. Peter, Mrs. | Atkinson, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Pollock. In conclusion the Committee sincerely thank all those who have helped them during the past year, and hope that the many new resi- dents in the Colony will become subscribers, and so join us in our attempts to help those who are in need, and are less fortunate than ourselves. The report of Guarantee Scheme 1908 was also read as follows: At the last annual meeting of the Ladies' Benevolent Society an appeal was made in connection with this scheme for
guarantors for the ensuing year, but only two gentlemen came forward. Of these two only one was called upon. A man of respectable character, but in destitute circumstances, was admitted to the Sailors' Home where he stayed 17 days at the expense of his guarantor. He was thus enabled to look round and find work instead of being reduced to begging, or tlle House of Detention, and so was undoubtedly
the heroic note on rare occasions as a re-
mean
minder of its high origin, but day in and day out the philanthropist must be very charit- able and patient, he must forget much and hope clerk seventy times seven, in the sense of against experience. One need not forgive a entrusting the combination of the safe to him; but the presevering kindness of the precept is by no means nonsense. There is a between futile sentimentalism and granite jus- tice. It was struck of late by a father in dealing with his son.
The young man had been cover- ing the Orient in his own way, calling on the father for money from time to time. The old Having reached Hongkong the wanderer once man had responded bravely again and again.
more smote the rock of parental resources; in fact he interested-touched" I believe is the price of a cablegram. the expression "touched" the consulate for disappointing; it was
The answer was the one word "work." Charity had in this case done its beautiful part and justice assumed her tidy function, I am glad to say, to the welfare of the young man. To meet and listen to the long life histories of the applicants is tedious business, and the later investigations require time These tasks your managers have done faithfully. and patience. In one way the number of those helped appears limited compared to reports of home societies; yet it is to be remembered that for a European to be stranded in this remote part of the world expensive, is grave business and relief proportionately especially when transportation: charges are incurred. Our annual budget is not large. Every dollar is laid out judiciously and being attended by persona interest is made profitable to the applicant; for unless the man is led to work and to help himself, money to to-morrow is to pour water into a sieve. It is a feed him to-day when he will be hungry again convenience to have this machinery of charity in Hongkong. It ought not to be necessary to urge citizens to remit the $12 annual dues, a less or a greater amount as a primary item of the year's individual outlay. Having done this one feels free to refer applicants to the society. Mrs Pollock, the Hon. Secretary, goes home for a time, and Mr. France retires-the two wheel horses of the work in late years, but new material will develop. We thank them not more for their diligence and sweet reasonableness with the unfortunate and erring than for the stan- dards of efficiency they have set their successors. In conclusion I beg to recommend the adoption of the report.
The report was adopted.
=
Mrs.
The CHAIRMAN proposed that the following office bearers be elected for next year:--President. Mrs. May; Vice president, Mrs. Hastings; hon. secretary, Mrs. Edkins; hon. treasurer, Turner; committee-Mrs. Hiokling, Mrs. Bun- bury, Mrs. Gresson, Mrs. Hancock, Mrs. Lander, Miss Innes, Mrs. Becker, and Mrs. Badeley.
Rev. F. T. JOHNSON seconded. Speaking from experience he said the Society had done a good work in this place, but he felt its work was not sufficiently appreciated by the people on whose behalf they were working. The Society was really working on behalf of the Europeans in this place whosa duty it ought to be to look after their poorer brethren..
A vote of thanks was awarded the retiring office bearers and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman, moved by Mrs. PETER, and seconded by Mrs. POLLOCK.
TIRED OF LIFE.
Two Chinese who attempted to commit suicide on Wednesday appeared before Mr. J. R. Wood at the Magistracy on Jan. 28. In the first instance an old woman, who was arrested at Yaumati for gathering pine cones and placed in a cell at the Police Station, attempted to strangle herself with a lace with which her hair was bound. Making one end of this lace fast to her neck, she tied the other end to a bar of the cell door and endeavoured to hang herself. The attempt would no doubt have been successful who released her. On appearing before the but for the timely arrival of Sergeant Macdonald, Court she was bound over to be of good behaviour in the sum of $10.
In the other case a student attempted to end his days by jumping off the Praya central into. the harbour, but was rescued by some boating people in the vicinity. The attempt was made while the guns were booming their congratula- tions to the German Emperor, and the student explained that he took this as his death Enell, because he feared that his mother and the rest of his family had been beheaded in Canton. The charge was remanded pending a médical nation of the rash young man.
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