CO129-311 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne - 1902 [5-7]

To His Excellency, Sir J. Gascoigne, K.C.M.G. Acting Governor &c., &c.

Sir,

In the summer of last year His Excellency the Governor did me the honour to invite me to be Chairman of a Committee which he was appointing to inquire into and report on Education in this Colony, an honour which I gladly accepted. I regret however to say that I must now ask Your Excellency to allow me to retire from the Committee. My reasons for wishing to retire are as follows.

(1) The draft Report drawn up by the other three members of the Committee contains many strong statements, with which I cannot agree, but which I have reason to understand I cannot get altered. The sweeping condemnation of the Educational work now being done in all Classes of Schools is, in my opinion, too severe; and does not show a just appreciation of the immense difficulties by which the education of Chinese in Western languages and knowledge is beset.

(2) Whilst I hold that the principles laid down in Part II of the Draft Report are in the abstract sound, I consider that the manner in which it is prepared to carry them out is too drastic, and that the attempt to enforce the proposals made would inevitably lead to the closing of a very large proportion of the Grant-in-Aid Schools, and to the very serious injury of others. As a very large amount...

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OP Y.

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