HONGKONG.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.
REPORT ON THE QUEEN'S COLLEGE, FOR THE YEAR 1902.
No. 7.
QUEEN'S COLLEGE,
HONGKONG, 19th January, 1903.
No. 1903
the
SIR, I have the honour to present the Annual Report on Queen's College for year 1902.
2. The total number on the Roll was 1,434, a slightly lower figure than in the previous year. This reduction is one of many indications of considerable im- provement in Attendance; for with fewer boys and with seven schooldays less, there is actually an increase of 15,662 attendances in the course of the year. Again the number on Roll exceeded 1,000 in nine months and 1,100 in four, while the average daily attendance is 990. When it is remembered that in the summer, plague, cholera and dengue fever were prevalent, it must be admitted that a steady attendance under these conditions is highly commendable.
3. The fees were short of $30,000 by only $121. The cost of the College is enhanced by the fact that the fees of Free Scholars are not credited to this Department, though $216 is the annual cost of educating Student Interpreters for the Registrar General's Department, and $180 for the charitable education of children of Public Servants, which does not include the four Free Scholarships granted annually to encourage education in the Government District Schools of Saiyingpun, Wantsai, etc.
4. It is just five years since the services of Mr. J. W. JONES were first loaned to the Supreme Court for twelve months. It was therefore quite as much a matter of congratulation to the College as to Mr. JONES, when in October last the news of his permanent transfer to be Deputy Registrar, as from 7th June, 1901, reached the colony. No surprise can be excited at the decision of the Secretary of State, that in the future Educational Officers are not to hold acting appointments in other Departments. I venture however to express a hope, that this does not mean an absolute negation of the possibility of permanent transfer elsewhere. The experi- ence of the Government in the cases of Messrs. ARTHUR, JONES and WOODCOCK would appear to justify the conclusion that Assistant Masters are capable of performing excellent service elsewhere; and I maintain that the effect of such transfer on Queen's College is a salutary one; there being the stimulus to exertion with view to the recognition of the Government, and the infusion of new blood into the English staff, from time to time,
5. Once again we have at last ten English Masters. Mr. TANNER has been promoted to the Senior Grade. To fill the three vacancies amongst the Junior Assistant Masters, Mr. BIRD was appointed in October, Mr. CROOK arrived a few days ago, and Mr. HOLLIS is shortly expected. In addition to being University men of marked careers (Oxford and Dublin respectively) Messrs. BIRD and CROOK have had the advantage of practical experience as schoolmasters and will doubtless prove valuable acquisitions. Mr. DEALY last May went on leave for the second time in nineteen years' service.