域多利（即维多利亚）中华会馆章程

The Constitution of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Victoria The Rules and By-laws of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Victoria Article 1 In 1884, with approval by the Chinese Consul-General in San Francisco, the Chinese communities establish the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Victoria, This Association represents all the Chinese, including merchants, workers and other tradesmen, living in various communities in British Columbia. The establishment has been reported to the Chinese Ambassador to England, and registered with the Governor of British Columbia. Henceforth, no other associations and/or clubs are allowed to be established in the Chinese communities without official approval. Article 2 It is decided that an official building is to be constructed, of which the 2nd floor serves as a temple, the 1st floor is used as the Association’s office, the ground floor is to let. Another wooden house is to be built as a hospital for the poor and sick Chinese. Article 3 The objectives of the association are: to promote inter-relationships among the Chinese communities, to carry out relief aids and social welfare, to solve disputes, to assist the sick and poor, to eliminate internal troubles, and to fight against foreign oppression. Article 4 Good management and sufficient funds are the basics for the Association’s justice upholding and further development. The Rules and By-laws are listed below in different sections. These Rules and By-laws could be amended in times to come. By-laws: Officer Election and Appointment 1. Two Directors, six Vice Directors, one Manager, ten Councilors, eighty Deputy Councilors are elected from among those who are rich and virtuous in the communities. The name, native place and store name of the elected should be recorded on a notice board to be displayed in the Association, and registered with the Chinese Consul-General in San Francisco, the Chinese Ambassador to England, and the Governor of British Columbia. 2. The term of Directorship and Managership is one year. At the beginning of every December, the Directors and the Manager should post for resignation. A new election shall decide whether they could keep their positions, or new Directors and Manager are picked up from among Vice Directors and Councilors. 3. The Directors administrate and supervise all the affairs of the Association, and in addition they are the official holders of the key to the cash safe. The Vice Directors conduct and handle all the affairs of the Association, and audit cash flow account. The Manager keeps running account, and keeps records of daily affairs and correspondence. The Councilors assist to handle all the affairs, and should be present at the Association whenever in need. The Deputy Councilors should be present at the Association for meeting when major events occur. 4. The Directors, Vice Directors, Councilors and Deputy Councilors are elected for public service; they are not paid by the Association. Considering the Manager being busy with all the daily chores, the Association pays him $120 per year. A full time Manager shall be hired when funds are sufficient, and his payment shall be discussed and confirmed later on. 5. If any of the Directors, Vice Directors, Councilors and Deputy Councilors is complained and censured by the community owing to his being unjust in handling affairs, fraudulent financially, or provocative deliberately, he will be expelled from the Association. 6. Upon completion of the temple, an attendant shall be hired. His duties include other affairs as entrance guard, cleaner, and courier. The term is one year , applications are accepted one month before the end of each year. 7. Once funds are sufficient, an interpreter/translator shall be hired to deal with matters concerned with the Westerners, and to inspect incoming and outgoing Chinese immigrants. His payment shall be discussed and confirmed later on. By-laws: Affairs Handling 8. If any motion for the benefits of the Chinese communities is to be proposed, the Directors and Manager shall be first notified, then the Vice Directors, Councilors, and Deputy Councilors shall be called for a consultation, action shall be decided by ballot. If the pros and cons come out even, further consultation shall be called for. 9. If a Chinese is wrongly treated, and it costs a lot of money to appeal against it, the Association will call for a consultation to raise enough funds for the use of it. 10. If a Westerner assaults, robs or refuses to pay his debt to a Chinese, and if he makes a complaint to the Association, the Association will assist him to appeal to the law. 11. If a Chinese is killed by a Westerner who is still at large, the Association will give a subsidy of $25 to the victim’s family in order to institute a suit against the killer, and the Association will also offer a reward of $200 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer. 12. The Association will arbitrate in monetary disputes between Chinese if the parties involved come to ask for the Association’s mediation. 13. If a Chinese is killed or murdered by another Chinese who is still at large, the Association will give the victim’s family a sum of $25, and will offer a reward of $200 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer. 14. If a Chinese is wrongly accused by a Westerner and jailed, the Association will go bail for him and employ a lawyer to appeal against the sentence. 15. If a Chinese is wrongly sued by a Chinese and is imprisoned, the Association will attempt to settle the case by arbitration. If the arbitration is refused, the Association will go bail for the wrongly accused and will assist him to appeal to the law. 16. If a Chinese who is villainous and detested by the community is arrested and jailed, and if the Association decides not to free him on bail, anyone who goes bail for him will be expelled from the Association. 17. If a Chinese is imprisoned because of swindling, robbery, or ganging up in intimidation, and if the Association decides not to free him on bail, anyone who goes bail for him will be expelled from the Association. 18. If a Chinese teams up with the Westerners in extortion, robbery and bullying his fellow-countrymen, the Association will report him to the local authority, and the Association’s directors will witness against him in the court. 19. If a Chinese gangster has a grudge against the Association’s directors and avenges himself on them, the Association will report him to the Chinese Consul-General, the British authorities, and the local authority in China, so that he will be arrested for trial. 20. Whenever there is call for, all the Directors, Vice Directors, Councilors, and Deputy Councilors should be present to the Association on time. Those who are not present without reason or late to arrive will be fined $1 each time. 21. If disputes arise between Chinese, both parties involved could send 3 persons only to represent each party, except the witness no more persons, nor any weapons are allowed in the Association. During the course of mediation both parties should appeal to the Association in order, answer questions and await arbitration without quarrelling or fighting. If any party refuses to obey the verdict, they can retreat peacefully. Those who use abusive language to express their discontent will be ordered to leave the Association and reported to the local authority. Their rights to the Association’s protection and arbitration will be denied since. 22. If it is confirmed that a Chinese is over 60 years old, poor and unable to work, the Association will pay him the fare for a trip back to China, and give him an extra $3. 23. The Association will build a hospital. If it is confirmed that a Chinese is sick and having no family or relatives to rely on, He can stay free in the hospital. The newly landed Chinese who are sick and unable to work can also stay free in the hospital. 24. The Chinese who stay free in the hospital should pay for their food and medical care. The Association will raise money to pay for those who are really poor and no family or relatives to rely on. 25. If a Chinese who stays in the hospital dies, and has no money left, no family or relatives taking care of his funeral, the Association will raise money to pay for his funeral, and give him an extra $3. If there is remainder, the Association will give it to his reliable friends to send back to China for his family. 26. If a Chinese who stays in the hospital recovers from his illness, he should leave the hospital without delay however he has a job or not. Those who continue to stay without reason will be driven out. 27. If a Chinese girl is kidnapped and sold in the communities, she must be returned to the Association. The Association will pay for her passage back to Hong Kong and place her in the custody of Tung Wah Hospital. If she has no relatives, the Hospital will arrange her marriage. By-laws: Funds Management 28. Every Chinese, merchants, workers or other tradesmen, in the communities should contribute $2 to the foundation fund of the Association before the end of August, 1884. Any Chinese who does not do so will be denied of their rights to the Association’s protection, arbitration and beneficence. 29. The $2 contribution should be submitted before the end of August, 1884. To avoid trickery, the Association will only assist those late contributors 2 months after their contribution is submitted. 30. Any new Chinese immigrants, either from China or from San Francesco, should be registered with the Association 5 days after their landing. They could, therefore, get immediate protection when in need, and stay in the hospital when sick. The protection and beneficence will be denied to those without registration. 31. Any new Chinese immigrants who are willing to contribute $2 to the foundation fund should submit it within 5 months after their registration. The late contributors could only get protection and beneficence 2 months after their contribution. 32. It was proposed that a $4 management fee be levied on each Chinese intending to go back to China, and a 1% transit duty be levied on goods imported by Chinese. This motion is to be postponed till further consultation. 33. The Association purchases an iron cash safe with 2 keys. The 2 Directors hold each of the 2 keys. When the safe needs to be opened and closed, the Directors and Vice Directors should be all present. When the sum of money reaches over $500, it should be released to bear interest. How it should be invested shall be discussed later on. 34. The Directors shall give the Manager $100 as advance for expenditure of the Association, including wages, rent, and daily expenses of the Association and the hospital. 35. Audit shall be held every quarter on the last Sunday in March, June, September, and December. The verification should be a detailed account without omission, and be printed by hundreds and posted in every community. 36. If there is any error or deceit in the verification, the Association will severely punish the person who is responsible for it. 37. When any of the Directors and/or the Manager resigns, he should hand over to his successors all the cash, bills, bonds, accounts, and other documents in public. He should compensate for any loss caused. August 9, 1884 The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Victoria

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.58066/f2bh-ja17

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