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deal with such questions to omit from their calculation all consideration of the much greater expenditure, both by way of capital monies sunk in buildings and fittings and for current expenses, entailed on those who undertake the education of the European youth of the Colony, as com- parel with the expenditure required for setting up and
maintaining a school for Chinese.
"Twenty dollars a month will pay the reut of a Chiness school house. A hundred dollars a mouth has to be paid for a suitable house for a like number of European boys aud their masters. In like proportion are the salaries of Chinese and European teachers, and, while the former can be had here at no expense, the latter have to be brought from Europe at a heavy cost. It is no exaggeration, there- fore, to say that a properly qualified European teacher cannot be provided, every thing comprised, at a less cost than $200 a month, while the teacher of a Chinese school or class costs, first and last, his salary, for a good one, say twenty dollars a month.
We were rather astonished to note the other day in the Government Report on Education that each boy brought up at the Central school costs the Government on the average eighteen dollars and thirty cents a year, whereas the same boy at one of the Chinese schools only costs the Government three dollars and twenty four cents.
"Of course the difference is clearly attributable to the presence of European teachers at the Central school, and to the necessarily more expensive buildings and greater cost of maintenance; but the same difference that exists between the cost of educating a boy at the Central school and at the Native school, exists also in the cost of educating a European boy, and a Chinese boy and for the same rea- son, It is hardly equitable therefore to place Chinese Schools and European Schools on the same level.
We have every reason to be satisfied with the atten- dance of the boys of St. Joseph's. There has been a great improvement in that respect latterly, although we have not yet come up to the English Standard. We must not forget, however, that if, in Hongkong there do not exist cer- tain influences and reasons, which interfere with school attendance in England, there are causes in operation here which have no equivalent in a colder climato. Sickness among children is more prevalent here and there is a greater dread of it among parents. The climate is far more trying, and between the extreme heat and the heavy rains
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it is not easy for the childreu of poor parents to come to school daily; the distances too are great, and there is undoubtedly an absence of cheap and easy means of con- reyance. The indolent habits incidental to birth and re- sidence in a hot climate, must count for something also, and a wise administrator will allow for it.
"If all these things are taken into consideration, it will be seen that there are difficulties in the way of a high average number of attendances here as well as in England, though they differ in kind and degreo.
In other English Colonies similarly situated, these difficulties have been taken into consideration and allowed for to an extrut that one would ever look for here. Hong- kong is not Lon:loo, neither can European boys in long- long be expected to bear the climate as well, and do as much work as Chinese boys."
"In concluding this Report, it is almost needless to say that in all our schools the elmaracter of the education given is markedly religious and that we are more than ever con- vinced that education without religion is not only useless but mischievons. In our own sphere we shall ever act up to this principle, not seeking to interfere in any way with the education or training of those who, not being Roman Catholics, have views and opinious of their own.
We can- not, however, avoid remarking the strong tendency that has been shown lately in Hongkong in favour of denomi- national as opposed to secular education. Several schools have been opened recently for children of the different denominations, in which special religious instruction is given, and these schools are prospering.
"If an account were taken of the number of children of all ages frequenting denominational schools in Hongkong and of the number frequenting the strictly secular Go- vernment schools, the numbers would be found, we believe, to bo about equal, while, if the pagan Chinese are excluded, the number of children of Christian parents seeking re- ligions instruction would largely preponderate, being not less than 700 Christian children brought up in deuomi- national schools against 60 who prefer secular education, thas proving clearly that the vast majority of Christian parents in the Colony are in favour of a religious training for their children.
"The Secular schools supported by the Government have at their disposal moans of attracting and rewarding which our denominational schools have not. Government de-