28
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 26TH JANUARY, 1
told me so, many of the leading e ficials in the public service have told me that since this system was established they find the tone of the service has improved and they have now an admirable staff of clerks. I may add that in India a similar result has occurred. The system was, to a great extent, brought into operation in the time of Lord LAWRENCE, and his present brilliant successor, Lord LYTTON, has borne testimony to the fact that the system of open competitions for the appointments in India has been most beneficial to the administration of that great Empire. Under these circumstances I thought it possible, perhaps, to introduce the system into this Colony, and accordingly we have had already one or two examinations. On one occasion there was a clerkship worth £200 per annum to be given away. It was a Chinese clerkship, and usually such a post was given by the Governor of the Colony, who looked over his list of applicants, and gave the appointment as he might think best, but I thought it well to try the experiment of an open competition. Accordingly, I asked the head of the department (it was in the Magistracy) to become an examiner, and Mr. MAY was good enough to undertake the duty. I also asked a Chinese scholar, Bishop BURDON, and my Right Reverend friend consented, and to these two, I added Mr. NG Cиox, a Chinese gentleman who is now a member of the papers, and English bar. Well, these three examiners were good enough to prepare the examination they made their report to me in course of time. I was disappointed, undoubtedly, at the result of that examination. The examiners reported that none of the candidates passed the examination sufficiently well to entitle them to the appointment. The examination consisted of translating a document which had come to the Magistracy in the ordinary course of business, a Chinese document, into English, and of translating the deposition of a witness taken at the Magistracy some weeks before into Chinese, and in reading and writing from dictation. That was a simple test, and, nevertheless, eleven candidates having presented themselves, I regretted to find that the examiners could not recommend to me any foolish one of the eleven as having properly passed the examination. Now, it would be, I think, very for us to shut our eyes to a fact of that kind. The examination could hardly be simpler than it was. The clerkship to be given away was of some value, $80 a month, and the result was certainly somewhat disappointing. But, I venture to repeat what I at that time put in a minute, published in the Gazette, that looking at the report of the examiners, though I regretted the result, I felt the Chinese students who competed at that examination had shown great intelligence and industry, and I had every hope that at a subsequent examination some of them would be successful. I have no doubt that, in sub- Whatever scheme I may establish, that scheme sequent examinations some of them will be successful. of examination should be in accordance with the educational position of the Colony, and in endeavouring to introduce this system, we must not fly too high at first, but if possible bring our standard down to that which we know to exist in the Colony. And on this subject, I am bound to say--my friend Mr. STEWART mentioned there was a position in the Customs given by Mr. BREDON, which appointment has been awarded to-day to a Chinese youth whom I see here on my right-it is fair to mention that, two of the best pupils in this school declined to take the small appointment given by Mr. BREDON. It does not at all follow that the best pupils of this school, or of the others in the Colony, aspire to Government employment. I may say for my own part, though I have the honour to be in the service of Her Majesty, I would not recommend the youth of this Colony, or any other, to look forward to Government employment as the sole end or aim of their education. Fortunately, we are living in the centre of a great mercantile community, and I believe the small number that competed for the clerkship, to which I have been referring is, to some extent, owing to the fact that many who could undoubtedly have passed that examination with credit, preferred, and very rightly preferred, to devote themselves to other pursuits. Now, in giving whatever appointments may be at the disposal of the Governor of this Colony, I shall still adhere, within certain safe limits, to the arrangements already announced upon this subject, but I believe I will be justified from time to time in selecting clerks from young men who be recommended to me by Mr. STEWART or other competent gentlemen in the colony. To give occasionally an appointment by open competition, and on the other hand to retain in my own gift a little share at all events of that patronage which all Governors heretofore have kept in their own hands exclusively, will, I believe, not be detrimental to the public service of Hongkong. (Applause).
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Now, ladies and gentlemen, you are all aware that the subject of education is not one upon which people in this Colony have been silent. For many years past it has been discussed in every shape and form, and indeed I was not many hours in the Colony before it was brought to my notice; even before I went down to the Council Chamber to read Her Majesty's commission, I was advised by the intelligent organs of the Press to announce what was called my policy on the subject of education. However, I had other things to do, and in addition to that, I thought it well to pay some attention to the actual educational condition of the Colony, to study it on the spot, before I ventured to express any opinion. And what is my policy? It is to promote Education; and I may say in one word, that, in doing this, I shall be most happy, during the five or six years that it may be my pleasure to be here, to do all in my power to promote the success of this institution, the Central School. (Applause.)
When I visited it the other day and saw Mr. FALCONER and the other gentlemen going through the daily routine of their duties, I was struck by some incidents, which it is well for us to bear in mind, because they suggest the possibility of improvements which I know Mr. STEWART has at heart. I visited one large class-room, indeed a sort of double class-room, on the other side of that passage. In that room I should think there must have been a hundred and fifty Chinese youths who were being instructed by three Chinese. Hachers ey were reading the Chinese classics. I found that the three Chinese teachers whe
them in the Chinese classics had themselves no