Page 294
Page 294
3
APPENDIX I.
Governor to Secretary of State.
(Confidential.) My Lord,
Government House, Hong Kong, June 25, 1906. REFERRING to my confidential despatch of the 7th July, 1905, I have the honour to transmit ten copies of the Report on the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps for the year ending the 31st March, 1906.
2. The total strength of the Corps was on that date 274 against 269 on the 31st March last The report shows that the general efficiency was well maintained throughout the year, and Major-General Hatton has expressed himself well satisfied.
year.
3. The Hong Kong Volunteer Reserve Association continues to make most satisfactory progress, the membership increasing by 76 to a total of 230 during the year under review. Of these the 80 most efficient members put in on an average 16.95 attendances at the ranges and made an average score of 47 out of a possible 70 for each 14 shots. The remaining 150 put in on an average 5.87 attendances and made an average score of 30 under similar conditions.
4. Thirty-two officers of the Civil Service not belonging to either volunteers or Volunteer Reserve Association have volunteered for work on the military telephones in war compared with 47 last year.
The majority of those attended the annual mobilization of the garrison and did useful work on that occasion.
5. Eleven private medical practitioners are now registered for service in the naval and military hospitals in war.
6. There are thus in all 547 members of the British civil population who have definitely engaged to assist His Majesty's forces in time of emergency, compared with 498 at the date of my above-quoted despatch.
7. In addition to these, 21 ladies, four of whom are professionally trained nurses and the remainder holders of the St. John's Ambulance Association medallions or certificates for both first aid and home-nursing, have registered their names for service as nurses.
8. Reverting to the report now transmitted, I agree with the Commandant that the rifle range at Tai Hang, at present the only one available for the volunteers, is most unsatisfactory. It is troublesome of access and very draughty. The question of providing a new range for them or of arranging for them to make use of either the King's Park Range, at present entirely allotted to the Volunteer Reserve Association, or the new Peak Range, now in course of construction to provide additional accommodation for that Association, will receive my attention.
9. The extension of the period for the volunteer camp at Stonecutters' Island from ten to sixteen days was attended with successful results, and provision for the longer period will be made in future years.
10. There has been some delay, due to non-arrival of roof-trusses from England, in the completion of the new volunteer headquarters, which I trust, however, will be completed by the 30th September next. This building is being constructed from Volunteer funds, assisted by a small grant from Government.
11. I propose to include a sum of 600 dollars in the Volunteer estimates for 1907 for the purchase of the Sub-Target Rifle recommended in paragraph 27 of Major Pritchard's report; but before ordering this apparatus, shall be glad if the opinion of the War Office can be obtained for me as to its usefulness.
12. I take this opportunity of bringing to your Lordship's notice that I have not yet received the Colonial Defence Committee's Remarks on the Annual Report on the Hong Kong Volunteer Corps for the year ending 31st March, 1905.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
M. NATHAN, Governor.
Enclosure.
Report of Commandant, Hong Kong Volunteer Corps.
1. ON the 31st March, 1905, the total strength of the corps was 269 (including Chinese orderly room clerk). The total strength of the corps on the 31st March, 1906, is 274 (including Chinese orderly room clerk).
I hope that there will be a further increase this year when the new headquarters are completed. 2. During the past season 2 members have died, 59 have resigned (2 on medical certificate, 18 in the Colony and 39 on leaving the Colony), 3 have been struck off for various reasons.
It is satisfactory to note that this is the smallest number that has had to be struck off for many years; and as regards the resignations, a larger proportion than usual have left the Colony
3. 69 new members have been enrolled.
Page 294
181
Page 294
Page 294