In Head Martin's Letter N°64 of 10 August 1897
403
QUEEN'S COLLEGE
MOKOKONG
10 August 1897
The Right Honourable
Mr Joseph Chamberlain, M.P.
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State
for the Colonies
I have the honour to forward (overleaf) the copy addressed by me in the first instance to the Governing Body of this College, protesting against the appointment of the Inspector of Schools as Examiner of this College, which appears to me opposed to the decision of the Secretary of State in 1894.
In the event of the Governing Body's not seeing its way to reconsidering its decision, I have asked them to forward my protest to the Governor; and I have also, sir, begged His Excellency in the event of his supporting the nomination to forward my protest to you.
Unfortunately, there has been no time for me to receive a reply and I shall not return from Japan till Sept 10, which will be too late to allow of a reply from England reaching Hongkong by November.
In February 1896, Sir, I forwarded to you in triplicate, through His Excellency the Governor, a Memorial on the subject of the Report by the Independent Examiners.
To prevent delay, I took the precaution of forwarding a copy of the Memorial direct to London, posting it with my own hands.
I respectfully submit, Sir, that I should be furnished, for my information and guidance, with such extracts from your reply as you may see fit to direct.
The main points I desired to impress in that Memorial were, that the Independent Examiners:
(1) should fairly examine the boys on work reasonably within the scope of their powers;
(2) should on no account criticise the system of the College with which they are supposed to be unacquainted, and which is not revealed by the boys' work;
(3) should endeavour to divest their minds of all prejudices, formed from the irresponsible gossip of the island, and from conversation with subordinate masters.
Examiners in England are, as a rule, independent in the strictest sense of the term, knowing absolutely nothing of the school or its method.
For the last six years, Queen's College has suffered from the repeated publication of unproven hostile statements.
This year we have attained 950 and 940 boys in attendance in two consecutive months. It would be a pity once again to advertise to the boys and their parents that their confidence in Queen's College and its Head Master is misplaced.
I have the honour to be,
Your most obedient servant,
Geo. Matteson, Acting Head Master
Since then I have heard nothing whatever of it, beyond the information, elicited by an enquiry from myself, that my Memorial had reached Downing St.
Copy of letter to Secretary of State forwarded in triplicate to His Excellency the Governor.
Queen's College Letter N°64
Page 403