Destroyed Dyke and Houses near Tsing Yuen, North River District.
REPORT TO W. B. HULL, ESQ., AMERICAN VICE-CONSUL-GENERAL
IN CHARGE, AT CANTON,
IN REGARD TO
AID GIVEN TO FLOOD SUFFERERS, SUMMER 1908,
By
EXPENDITURE OF $2,000 GOLD,
RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS.
| Amount Received | $4,519.77 Mex. |
| Disbursed in three lots: | |
| A. To Rev. Mr. Roach, of the Baptist Mission on North River, Yingtak | $1,000.00 Mex. |
| B. To Chinese Committee (per Kwong On & Co.), for West River Relief | 1,000.00 Mex. |
| C. To Rev. W. W. Clayson, London Mission, acting in co-operation with Chinese Commission on North River, Tsing Yuen and Sham Shui Districts | 2,519.77 Mex. |
The most needy districts were Yingtak and Tsing Yuen.
The money was spent in the following manner in the three cases:
A. Employment given to a daily average of 80-85 men and women and 30 cents and 25 cents (Mex.) per day, respectively, during some forty days, tiding them over the worst period of want until local officials came to aid more effectively. Work was the repairing of a main public highway. The Baptist Mission supplied the necessary road material, lime, etc. There remains a balance of $200 Mexican on hand.
B. While in Yingtak it was thought wisest to give employment to the needy as above described; along the West River it was deemed best to give money direct. In this region rice and other foodstuffs were being sold at a reduction of 30 or 40 per cent. through the agency of local gentry of wealth, officials and the native benevolent institutions. One thousand dollars was then distributed through the Native General Committee from the United Churches of Canton, and some thousands of people supplied with cash to buy food at these reduced rates.
C. In Tsing Yuen and Sham Shui Districts, Mr. Clayson personally assisted the Native Committee in distributing tickets, which were redeemable in cash at three centres, Tsing Yuen, Shek Kok and Sai Nam. Rather thorough investigations were made so as to reach the most needy, and especial attention was given to villages lying in from the river, which had, in fact, suffered most from devastation of crops, and yet had up to the time of this relief been least helped, because living back from the river they did not know how to get relief, and had few chances of earning any support.
The method of distribution adopted was very laborious, but it is thought that it was the most satisfactory. Those wanting most relief were reached and given tickets, and even if they were too weak to go to the centre to get the money, they could be trusted to see that they did get it. Those helped in these districts were mostly widows, the blind, lame and diseased and aged. Two days around each centre were taken to distribute tickets, and one day at the centre for distribution of money—with which the people then bought foodstuffs at reduced prices from the officials or Benevolent Societies—the latter turning their money over and over as long as it lasted under this depreciating process.