The Lordship for directing the payment of the $1800 which had since June 1879 been withheld by His Excellency the Governor they note that your Lordship objects to any distinction being made as to class or race in the rules of admission but you would not object to admission alternately free and by payment as in the South Kensington Museum. The Committee do not fail to appreciate the evident good wishes of your Lordship in suggesting what might appear to be a satisfactory mode of settling the dispute that has arisen but they feel constrained to point out that however well such a rule might work in England it would in their opinion be as regards Chinese visitors utterly impracticable in this Colony as the result would be that the Museum would be unfitted for three days out of the six every week while upon the remaining three days it would be overcrowded.
Although the funds to build the City Hall were chiefly obtained from shareholders and it was understood at the time that the shareholders would be entitled to any profit that might be made from the letting of the Theatre, Ball Room as a matter of fact the shareholders have not only received no interest money but there does not appear to be any reasonable hope of them ever getting back any portion of their capital. Great difficulties as to ways and means have always been experienced since the institution was first opened and the Committee do not feel justified in abandoning the Government Grant without once placing clearly before your Lordship the reasons that have actuated them in making and continuing the regulations that have been objected to.
The Committee feel that it is somewhat difficult to explain to your Lordship fully their reasons for adhering to the distinction drawn in the notice as to admission but would state that unless to be allowed unrestricted admission during the day the Museum would practically be closed to European ladies, respectable Chinese women and also to almost all the European residents of the Colony. The position that women hold in China and the fact...