receive the benefite of self-government. That is the view taken of the matter at Washington, but contact with the actual conditions of life in the Philippines does not tend to confirm the average American in the faith that the right methods of government are being adopted. We can, however, rest assured that if mistakes are being made, the day of their rectification will come, and whatever may be said of present conditions in the Philippines, the of the critic must not be closed to the fact that seed sown requires time to fructify, and no
o one can doubt that the educative work which is being undertaken by the government throughout the islands must result in a gradual improvement of the race,
eyes
ST. GEORGE'S DAY.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND children together at noon to sing the | National Anthem, and to voice the old cry of "St. George for Merrie England." And not only in the villages are these interesting observances now taking place. Last year at Hostou, one of the poorest districts of our great metropolis, the Vicar after a church service organised a procession, the principal figure in which was an impersonation of St. George cla in chain armour, preceded by his Banner and followed by cars symbolising Britan. nin, Peace and War, and the Colonies. At the Town Hall, the procession was received by the Mayor, in his official robes and there the revels took place-morris dancing, a performance of the old street play, St. George and Merrio England," May Day games &c., combining to make the celebration unique in the metropolis, and unequalled anywhere else in the Empire so far us we are able to judge from the reports collected by the Royal Society of St. George.
(Daily Press, 23rd April) How many Englishmen in the Colony, we wonder, are aware that this is St. George's Day-the day dedicated to the memory of Old England's Patronal Saint? Hongkong, like most other ports in the Far East, numbers among its institutions a St. George's Society, but the custom of a more or less general celebration of the 23rd' seems, so far as this Colony at least is con- cerned, to have fallen into desuetude. On such a day it will be appropriate to refer to the desire which has been ex- pressed in many parts of the Empire to have a day set apart as an annual national holiday. The name of Lord MEATH has been very prominently associated with the movement to secure the observance of such a day throughout the Empire, and his Commi tee we believe are pledged to the advocacy of May 24th, a date which will long yet be remembered as the birthday of our late illustrious Sovereign QUEEN VICTORIA On the other hand, the Society of St. George, which has recently obtained tho KING's sanction to use the prefix Royal" in its title claims that there is a concenɛus of opinion in favour of the 23rd of April being proclaimed "Empire Day," and we are told that it has already been adopted by the Sons of England Societies and others. The Sons of England Societies are berevolent associations which had their origin in Canada, where numerous branches exist in every province, and many branches now flourish in vari-
:
a
parts of South Africa. There was &time in the history of England when St. George's Day, was recognised as national festival. It is he object of the Royal Society of St. George to revive the observance, and it may be interesting to our readers to learn how the day is now observed in many parts of England and in the Colonies.
The Festival Diner, of course, occupies a prominent place in every programme, and just as the haggis at a Scotch dinuer is heralded by the bagpipes, so at a S. George's Diner is the Roast Beef" brought to the festive board to the time-honoured tune of "The Bust Beef of Old England' (a tune played daily aboard all His Majesty's ships in commission), and as the dish is borne round the room preceded by a soldier carrying the English Flag, and followed by drummers the enthusiasm of the dinera_obtains. Free vent. Special services at the churches and cathedrals form another feature of the celebrations, and every-Englishman of coarse proclaims his nationality by the wearing of the rose when the flower is obtainable. The Banner of St. Gorge floats proudly in the breeze from private and public buildings, and at some of the villages in England the custom has been revived of gathering the school
In this brief recital of what is done else where in honour of England's Patronal Saint, the local Society will perceive how much could be done in a place like Hongkong to make the celebration worthy of the occa. sion, and how desirable it is, especially in the interests of the younger generation, to take advantage of these little opportunities of stimulating their patriotic pride.
HNGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Legislative Council was held on the 20th inst. in the Council Chamber. Present:
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Troops),
HIS EXCELLENCY 3ir W. GASCOIGNE,
Hon. F. H. MAY (Colonial Secretary). * Hon. Sir HENEY SPENCER BERKELEY, KT. (Attorney-General);
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Medical Officer).
Hon. J. M. ATK NSON (Principal Civil
Hon. Sir C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M G. Hon. WEI YUK.
Hon. C. W. DICKSON: Hon, R. SHEWAN,
HoD, GERSHOM Stewart.
April 25, 1908. there and the Government collects the depot fees and at Haughom the fees for both the
laughter house and the depôts are collected the Government, f
The COLONIAL SICRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The Co
PAPERS.
SECRETARY laid on.
table the Report of the Inspector Sobools for 1902, the Returns of the Subordinate Court for 1902, the Report of the Director of the Observatory for 1902, the Report of the Superintendent of Victoria Gaol for 1902, the Report of the Examiners of Queen's College, the Report of the Captain Superintendent of Police for 1902, the State- ment of Water Account for 1902, the Supreme Court Reports for 1902, the Reports of the Medical Officer of Health, the Sanitary Surveyor and the Colonial Veterinary Surgeou for 1902, and the Financial Returns for 1902.-
QUESTIONS.
Hon. R. SHEWAN put the following ques-
tions:-
1. Will the Colonial Secretary inform the Council when the Land Settlement in the New Territory was commenced, and when it is now expected to be completed P
2. Will the Colonial Secretary give an ex-
planation of the delay in settling this matter, of the concession ? almost four years having elapsed since the date
"
3. What is being done towards carrying out the scheme for augmenting the water supply by pamping from Tytam Tuk P
4. As the permanent Works must occupy some time to construct, are any steps being taken, of a temporary nature, to afford au increased supply, and if so, what?
.
ANSWERS,
The COLONIAL, SECRETABY—Sir, the replies to the first two que tions are:-The land settle- ment of the New Territory commenced with the establishment of the Land Court on 1st June, 1900. The settlement will be com- plete when (a) all Crown Lands have been delimited and marked off from land in private ownership; (b) all genuine disput s as to the ownership of land, whether existing before the Convention, or originating with it, have been decided; (c) a uniform system of land tenure has been devised and put into working order; (d) a rent roll based upon the maps is available for revenue collection. The rent roll will be re dy this year and the Titles Ordinance has been pa sed by the Council. The survey. and demarcation of the mainland is com- But the whole of the work of pleted.
and settlement will probably not be completed before 19 6. The chief difficulties have been :- (a) The enormous number of very small holdings of which there must be over a quarter of a million in the Territory. This has necessita'ed an elaborate scheme of demarcation, that is of marking out holdings, which is only just completed. (b) The want of any system
Mr. P. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of in dealing with land under Chinese rule. There Council).
FINANCIAL, `
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table Financial Minutes Nos. 4 to 10, 12 and 13, and moved that they be referred to the Finauce Committee.
The COLONIAL TREASURER Seconded, and the motion was agreed to..
The COLONLAY, SECRETARY laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 2) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to,
NEW MEMBERS.
Hon. De J. M. Atkinson. Principel Civil
Medical Officer, and Hon. Gershom Stewart took the formal oath as new members and assumed their seats.
SANITARY BOARD BYE-LAWS.
The PRINCIPAL CIVIL MEDICAL OFFICER moved the adoption of the Bye-laws made by the Sanitary Board as to cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. He said-These Bye-laws were made by the Sanitary Board on 27th March. These alterations in the Bye-laws are con- sequent on the Sanitary Board having taken over the cattle depots at Kennedytown and are necessitated by the fact that an alteration in the method of collecting fees at Hunghom is intended. The slaughter-house collector at Kennedytown collects the slaughter-house fees
was no survey and the so-called Registry of the - District Magistrate is a Registry of Deeds and not a Land Registry at all. (c) There were bumerous lawsuits pending in the Chinese Conris which having languished for years through lack of funds shot up into activi y with the enormous increase of the value of the land consequent upon the Conventi n. Expropri ation being out of the question a patient sifting fo the evidence has been the only proceduro open to the Land Court.
The DIRECTOR OF I UBLIC WORKS-Sir, the reply to the third question is:-Trial works are in progress at the head of Tytam Fay for the purpose of ascertaining the nature and level of the solid bottom with a view to con- g'ructing a storage reservoir there. The site tentatively selected for the dam is, ut low water mark, about 700 yards, S. E. of Tytam Tuk village. Three brick wells are being sunk which show the nature of the strats overlying the rock, and will permit of the rock itself being examined. The wells are supplemented by numerons borings, from which a chart of the reck bottom can be prepared. The fürtlest advanced well extends from 12 feet above to 40 feet below, low water, and it is believed to be within 6 feet of the rock. It is only settling about an inch per day at the present time, although it weighs, together with the load on top of it, 115 tons, and is kept undermined by