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· crime and mete out a punishment in proportion as one would in an ordinary case. These three criminals who were the principal actors have confessed that they committed the murders and it has been conclusively proved that they did. We sent your Excellency a telegram praying that instructions may be sent so as to cause them to be bebeaded as a caution to others, to deter them from committing such dreadful deeds.
L
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
HONG
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ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE PRIZE DISTRIBUTION.
THE VALUE OF DISCIPLINA
Mr.
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The annual distribution of prizes in connec tion with this college took place 22nud Dec, when H. E. the Governor presented on the successful students with the prizes won by them. His Excellency arrived at the appointed hour, accompanied by his private secretary. R. A. B. Ponsonby, and amongst others present were: His Lordship Bishop Pozzoni, Mr. F. A. Irvine. Inspector of Schools, Mr. A. G. Romano, Consul for Portugal aud Brazil,
Before the business of the day was proceeded with. His Excellency was given, a display of the musical and theatrical abilities of the pupils Masters R Taylor, in a neatly prepared speech, thanked His Excellency and others for their attendance, The College choir sang the chorus The Jolly Chafers," with an ability which be spoke many months of instruction. A hint, however, to the choir instructor, might not be out of place. If the choristers were prevented fr im vicing with each other as to who should |-ˆng for bawl) the loudest, the effect would bo much more pleasing. Masters J. Tavares uud !. Dupuy caused much amusement by the sing ing of " My Excellent Friend," and the college gelde choir fallowel with the chorus Wo love to sing our Morry Song." The comedy,
“The Magic Lamp," was apparently much appre. ciated by those present.
Master A. Wilson took the character of Aladdin, a boy of the period; Ma-ter P. Murray that of Mustafa, Aladdies pretend dunele; Masters A. Baptista, F. Tavares and M. Nemazee were the com- panions of Aladdin. Master J. Tavares the Fairy of the Lamp, and Master R. Tayler, Aladdin's Mother. The programme concluded with the solo, A Boy's bust Friend is his Mother," which was sweetly sung by Master A. Baptista.
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Tang-Lo-chat and Lo-Tak-Koon, two elders of the village, were members of the committon for the Ta-chin Worshipping Festival. A)- though they did not encourage nor direct the people to commit the deeds, they did no: attempt to restrain the men and allowed them to perpetrate such deeds. Wo beg your Excellency to order that Tang-Lo-chat be sentenced to five years' imprisonment; and Lo Tak Koon to three years as he voluntarily surrendered himself. Shum-Ying-Foong and Shing On both followed the mob to the Loong Tam temple but did not take 8 hand in the murder. Mang-Lew-tsang denied that he was the man who first set fire to the hospital but from the investigation we discovered that he was present and took part in the riot. We beg your Excellency to sentence them to five years imprisonment each. Au-Yeong Kiu took the Europeans to the Loong Tám temple to hide themselves and demanded money for his trouble and it was stated that ho afterwards informed the mob of their biding place, but this was not proved. We ask your Excellency to sentones him to three years' imprisonment. Leung- Kwai-chow denied calling the people to arms by beating the gong but it has been proved that he was present at the riot. Leong-Ah-Wing cou- | fessed to being present amongst the mob but denied taking part in the affair. These two prisoners should be sentenced to one year's imprisonment. A monk named Nam Siu demanded a reward for allowing the Loong Tam temple to shelter the fugitives. We ask your Excellency to sentence him to six months' imprisonmen! nd to compel him to become A layma again at the expiration of his sentence. Lew Ah Kee, Low Sheung Nin, Cheong Al Kwong, Low Ah Shot, Lew Ah Food, Tang Ah Fat and Wong Ah Fat were all present at the riot but there is no proof that they participated. We beg your Excellency to leave to our discretion to have some of them flogged and others put in the cangue to be publicly exhibited as their offence is a light one The rest of them, Lew Chiu Kwan, Wong Tai Choi, Wong Ah Hin, Wong Shek Kee, Lew Ah Wan, Law Cheong Ching, Lew Ah Chan, Lew Ah Sing and others were arrested by mistake and have been immediately released. Besides these, the Linchow prefect has been instructed to offer rewards for the arrest of any oriminals that may have absconded; who will then be tried and punished. It is our duty to forward your Excellency this petitiou reporting to you the result of our investigation, and the punishment we intend to give the prisoners. We await your Excellency's instructious to teach us how to deal with the prisoners.
HOW THE LAND WAS BOUGHT.
From further enquiries made we discovered that the piece of land in dispute between Dr. Machle and the villagers belonged to the village people and was owned by them as com- mon property. Doctor Machle had purchased it from some scoundrels of the village. No notice was posted to inform the public and the deed was not registered with the authorities. No boundary stones were placed to mark the limits of the ground. Now Dr Machle claims the land to belong to the mission. This is very unreasonable and be took on him- self to give a cause for the creation of the trouble which developed into the serious inter- national affair now in question. It is our duty to include this in our report.
Peking report says that French offers of capital for railway and mining purposes have recently been made, and suggestions thrown out that China having already accepted British loans in connection with a railway closely connected with Hongkong, and therefore much more dangerous than the American line would have been, she can well afford to accept assist- "where the only object aimed at is a higher rate of interest than is possible at home."
87.08
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College, then read the annual repor', partly Brother Sylvester, the Director of the as follows:-
saying
[December 30, 1905.
The boys frequently forget to put their names and the school at the top of their papers.
Sanitation :-The ventilation of the rooms seems now very satisfactory. Additional doors bave been made so that it is not necessary any more to pass through one room to go to another
Apparatus:-The maps in some of the rooms need renewing, especially those used by Stan- been bought recently. Slates should not be dard II. Much new apparatus has, however,
used above Standard III.
English, Colloquial :-The great majority of English by the natural process. Nevertheless the boys are boarders and seem to learn to speak their fuency should not blind the teachers to the fact that they costantly employ foreign appear in their compositions even in the highest idioms in their speech, and these constantly standards.
Reading-Goed.
Composition and Grammar:-A large Standard V. obtained less than 40 per cent of groportion (17 boys out of 29) of marks at examization. promotion has been somewhat hurried. Stan
It would appear that dard VI. did better. Their composition was good on the whole, though the essays were lacking In matter. Half the standard got half marks or over, and two thirds over 40 per cent. There well in grammar but there compositions are not r only three boys in Standard VII. They did up to the mark.
Handwritia :---Deserves more attention.. It is not good in the upper standards. In all English subjects it was noticeable that on the [[done
one hand the work was: other hand the work of even the best boys. very neatly and tidily, on the of the upper standards was marred by absurd mistakes in grammar and spelling. geography and the outlines of Asia were well Geography: In the lower standards the local
known. Standard V. had too long and too wide a syllabus and failed badly at examination in cousequence. Standard VI. on the contrary did very well. The whole standard obtained over boy's got over half marks. Standard VII. did 10 per cent. of marks, and 75 per cent of the
well.
History. Is very well taught. Very intelli. and VII. The papers taken as a whole show gent auswers were obtained in Standards VI.
the boys have a real grasp of the subjec'. Standard V. again did not so well. Senior obtained full
Mathematics :-One boy in Standard VII. in arithmetic, algebra, and
marks iu papers set
geometry- remarkable performance. His work shows that the teaching must be excellent.
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In reviewing the scholastic year of 1903 I find there were 324 boys on the Register and of these 132 were newcomers. Our average daily attendane was 45.89 the highest attendance during the year being 288, The vast difference may be attributed to various causes:-Many Chinese boys come from different parts of the Colony and spend some days in the school after which they disappear without even good-bye. Among other classes of boys there seems to be no end to birthday festivals. One day it is the grandfather, another aunts, brothers, sisters, all pass in turn, and the grandmother, father, mother. uncles.
of course the boys are required to enhance tho solemnity. I think that parents who under- stand the importance that men of business aud. education attach to punctuality should insist on the children's adherencs to the requirements of the school or college in which they place them. Permission of ab-euce when asked for shall never be refused if sufficient reason is given for such an absence. sant when parents after keeping their children It is very unplea- at home for a day or more, will simply give a scribble to the effect that the boys were absent with their consent, thus leading them ou to a
Geometry:-Taken in Standard VII. Senior spirit of independence and insubordinationments were not written out as if the writers and Junior. In the Junior division the argu. which will inevitably characterize them in after years.
The Report of the Inspector of Schools was as follows:-
Dise pline and Organization :--Good. Stan- dard I. has been divided into two divisions in deference to H.E, the Governor's advice giveu at the last priz-giving, that particular atten- tion should be paid to the beginners. I regret to say that nothing has been dore to teach the Chinese their own language. Attention was drawn to this point in last year's r port. One boy I questioned, a boy of about fifteen, did not know a single character.
When a Chinese
mental arithmetic daily with very good results. Arithmetic-Standard I. have been doing Standards II to VI. were rather disappointing. Common sense does not seem used enough, and solution. Standard V. were especially weak in the rory simple problems were found too difficult for
conversion of dollars into sterling and vice uuitary method in the solution of problems. versa, in decimals, and their inability to use the In Standard VI. the work was neat and the methods were in most cases good. But there was a want of accuracy.
Algebra:-The subject is very well taught, problems. More time might be given to the solution of
were altogether convinced of their truth.
Drawing:-A new subject. No great advance has been made with it so far. Excellent material have been procured, and it may be hoped that St. Joseph's may before many years produce draughtsmen of the quality it once used to do.
Hygiene:-Not begun.
30%.
Grant:-I recommend a grant at the rate of
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Inspector of Schools, Chinese is taught in the In view of complying with the wishes of the College at present for one hour every school day. In addition to the above subjects we have cannot read the simplest letter, notice or name
established a shorthand class and a typewriting over a shop, he cannot be called properly suration, and the elements of vocal music. The class, as also the teaching of book-keeping, men- educated. For this reason I am unable to results of the Oxford Local Examination were efficit."
port that the organization is thoroughlyvery good. We presented but one boy in the Senior and he succeeded very honourably. We presented three in the Junior and two succeeded. Eleven boys sat for the Preliminary and nin
In examinations time is wasted by copying out the questions and ruling unnecessary lines.