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submitting them to a Committee of the Legislative Council: and after considering the whole subject I thought it well to ascertain if the Unofficial Members of Council would agree to sit on a Commission to enquire into the effect of raising the fee from 50 cents to a dollar.
3. On the Central School, Dr Stewart mentioned that the raising of the fee from 50 cents to a dollar had reduced the number of pupils: and he has since informed me that the number has fallen to 425.
On the subject of the building of the Elementary Schools Sir Michael Hicks Beach had sanctioned, and also into the question of raising the Central School into an institution of a somewhat collegiate character, where English and science would be better taught in accordance with the wish of the principal Chinese residents.
When, subsequently, the Commission was approved in Executive Council, I have the honour to lay before Your Lordship a copy of the Commission of Enquiry I have issued. It is addressed to Dr. Stewart, the Head Master of the Central School, the Attorney General, the Surveyor General, the Inspector of Schools, the three Unofficial Members of Council and Mr. E. R. Belilios. The latter gentleman is one of our wealthiest merchants and he has shown an interest in Education by endowing a Scholarship at the Central School.