No.304.
Hongkong.
Sir,
33505
13 AUG
596
Government House,
Hongkong, 11th July, 1902.
I have the honour to inform you that on the occasion of the visit of the Duke of Connaught to this Colony in April, 1890, when His Royal Highness laid the foundation stone of the new Praya Reclamation, permission was given to Mr. Chater (now Sir C. P. Chater) to obtain and erect on a suitable site on the Reclamation a statue of His Royal Highness to commemorate that event.
2.
The commission for the design and execution of the statue was entrusted to the late Mr. Boehm, and I understand that the work was so successfully performed as to meet with the full approval of His Royal Highness.
3.
In December, 1900, the statue was erected on the site decided upon, namely the centre of the open space in front of the site of the New Law Courts. This space is Crown Land. As that part of the Reclamation, however, was likely to be occupied for a long time to come by builders' and contractors' tools and matsheds, it was decided not to expose the statue to the public until it could be seen to advantage, and it was accordingly covered in and protected with boarding, in which state it has, till recently, remained.
4.
No more appropriate time for unveiling
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&c.