166
(d.) FORESTRY, BOTANICAL SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE.
331
Forty-four thousand five hundred and seventy-seven (44,577) pine trees were planted in Hongkong, and 15,116 were sown in sites. In the New Territories 82,960 were planted and 73.021 sown in sites. 1,500 camphor trees were planted in the New Territories. shade trees were planted in the Streets. The nucleus of a collection of Chinese economic products was formed. Progress was made with the purchase of Chinese pine plantations which are suitably placed to augment Government planting. Investigations were continued with a view to utilizing waste grourd in the New Territories, and attention was in particular directed to the possibilities of Tea and of Candlenut trees for this purpose.
(e.) LAND GRANTS AND GENERAL VALUE OF LAND,
The amount received from sales of Crown Land was $315,733.21, being some $76,500 less than the receipts for the previous year. This falling off may be attributed to the general depression of business throughout the year and the consequent tightness of the money market. The principal items were for extensive pier-rights at Kowloon Point for Messrs. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, sites for workmen's dwellings in connection with Messrs. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE'S Shipyard at Quarry Bay and land for extensions of the Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Co.'s Premises at Hunghom.
IH. LEGISLATION.
Seventeen Ordinances were passed during 1906, two of which, the Married Women's Property Ordinance, No. 5 of 1906, and the Criminal Evidence Ordinance. No. 14 of 1906, are designed to bring the law of the Colony into line with English Statutes. The former accords to Married Women in Hongkong the like protection with regard to their property as is enjoyed by Married Women in England and other parts of the Empire. The latter introduces the amendment made in the law of England by the Imperial Enactment 61 and 62 Victoria Cap. 36, by which in all criminal proceedings an accused person and the wife or husband, as the case may be, of such person are made competent witnesses for the defence.
The discovery of iron ore in considerable quantities in the New Territories led to the introduction of the Prospecting and Mining Ordinance, No. 7 of 1906, under which the Government is empowered to grant licenceso search for and prove minerals and to grant licences and leases of land for the purpose of working mines and minerals.
The Prepared Opium Amendment Ordinance, No. 15 of 1906, was passed to remove any doubt as to whether the provisions of the Prepared Opium Ordinance 1901 applied to Morphine and all Compounds of Opium in addition to Prepared Opium. The Ordinance at the same time makes better provision for the establishment of bonded warehouses for Morphine and Compounds of Opium.
The Merchant Shipping Amendment Ordinance, No. 16 of 1906, makes provision for the prevention of obstruction of vessels and landing places and for the better regulation of junks and similar craft.
IV.-EDUCATION.
The number of Government and Grant Schools, including Queen's College, is 85, of which 24 are Upper Grade Schools with a staff competent to give instruction in all the subjects of Standard VII, and 61 are Lower Grade Schools under purely native management. Generally speaking, the Upper Grade Schools are taught in English, and the Lower Grade Schools are taught in the Vernacular.
The total number of pupils in average attendance at Government and Grant Schoolst was 5,496. against 5,323 in 1905. Of these, 1,932 were in Government and 3,564 in Grane Schools 3,350 pupils received instruction in English, and 2,146 in the Vernacular. proportion of boys to girls was 3,531 to 1,965.
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