The Hongkang Celegraph
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1910.
"IS THAT TRUE?"
Yesterday afternoon our Chinese fellow- citizens expressed in fitting and graceful man. ner their strong appreciation of Sir Frederick ! Lugard's successful work in this Colony. The Haueuable Dr. Ho Kai, CMG., in his speech gate than the truth when he declared that His Excellency kad seen the Colony through ! the most trying times and had placed it once again on the high road to prosperity and success. It is proverbially difficult to please everybody, bat Sir Frederick Lugard lias overcome all chstacles, even those which at first sight i
appeared to be insuperable. Hongkong is
pot yet our
of the financial straits into
shleb in common with other dependencies i of out Empire it has been driven by the ime-serving Nonconformist-conscience ridder vete-catching policy of a deplorable Govern- ment. Everything that could be effected by L clear intellect and resolute will was canied through by the Governor during, perhaps, the worst crisis in the fortunes of this outpost of Balo since first the Union Flag was planted at its shores. Misunderstanding, misrepre- sentation opposition from withla cad from without, han-pered and thwarted him at every step, until his consciousness of right and tenaci- Here he was ty of parpase triumphed at fast blindly accused of being too willing to ac- quiesce in the extravagancies of the faddist régime at Westminster, and there he was calumniated in Parliament and accused of wilful disobedience to and evasion of the orders of the Imperial Government. It must havebeen His Excellency discouraging uphill work. depended, of course, upon the leading lights in the community for so mach-for informa on first, even for advice, and always for belp was Eapiember, abour three years ago, when Sir Frederick Lugard fired his inaugural ste: Get the sew rifle range at the Peak, and on ing informed that he had scored a "possible exclaimed: "Is that true?" This expression of doubt, disconcerting perhaps to those who arrange such functions, was not, as we remarked at the time, without its significance. A newly- sppointed Governor arrives in a Colony where
is work is cut out for him," He is too often up! te accept the views and adopt the policy of his etourage, especially of those who have served his predecessors, and bare all details at their Sugers' ends. Sometimes these subordinates
are men whose insight, sympathy and breadth of view, joined to their experience, render them of invaluable assistance to the new Chief Sometimes the latter becomes the signing- machine and the montpiece of a fossilized bureaucracy. But not this time. Sir Fred- erick's exclamation is that trae?" was, as we cghtly surmised, an indication of his mind Dadaining to see with other men's eyes, he has Always insisted on seeing for himself. He bas neither disregarded nor worshipped precedent He has deigned to consider the views of those
he paths seemed most wesly
low those which the
podagen for all to
has been that the
xept. He found
In bepeles contuantes
diverge
rous disagicemcat. He had a long lone jy furrow to plough. The firmness and high courage with which he carried the new taxation measures, the calm resolution and patient teil with which he set himsell personally to in- vestigate the angle of the enormous increase above the estimated expenditore on the Kow.! Icon-Canton Railway, his diligence in carefully and personally working ihoonghe neary Jerally are still frash is the public mind. So many í causes for decreased revenue, so many new de- mands far expenditure The disaster to the Colony's purse by the lass on opium (without any visible corresponding real advantage): and the decrease in the value of rateable pro perties caused partly by the enforcement of the Public Health Ordinances of his predeces. sors, the unsatisfactory state of trade and the financial losses caused by an appallingly destructive typboao, had to be met by novel ex- pedients--indeed, experiments. But his singls. mess of purpose, and the rapidity with which he gathered the threads of the kontted and twisted net of Hongkong affairs, soon convinced l classes that "his heart was in it." It became known that there was no hole-and-corner basi wess with Sir Frederick, who must have every- › ning on a straight basis. His care for the sufferers in the typhoon is epecially to be seen in the 4angkoktsui rafuge, which it is hoped will b completed at su early date. His solicitude for The requirements of all is shown in every direction in the prosecution and improvement f public works, no less tbaa in reduction of expenses. The Tytam reservoir is a great and recessary work which he will not leave un- Snished. The Chinese and Europeans of the educated classes have been brought nearer by the wise and statesraulike policy of Govern- cheat House towards the Chinese under his égime. It is unnecessary far as bete to ditate a the great advances that he has made, and Low for the first time the Chinese of the highest fass are at last coming into social contact
th Europeans of the same couche secile od in the relations of the Government
1 with that of Cantos, the finest tact and determination not to disagree have marked is Excellency's administration. Leaal duous, though greatest and most cudur.
of his achievements is one nabie in izs rpore, vast in its ideals, and successful in its step How deeply and widety the Un- iversity of Hongkong will inflatuce Chioa ene Lay hardly dare to prophesy, will, without question, becoms the centre of Western Jucation out here, and the meeting place of the civilised thought of East and West. While rigadier General Sir Frederick John Dealtry Logard, R.C.M.G., C.B, D.S.O., goes Home to se that rest to which three of probably the hardest years in his life (herder perhaps than ive-hunting in Nyassa-land, or silministering ganda) have richly entitled him, he leaves re in the stones and spirit of the Hongkong -aiversity an imperishable name,
The Governor's
Departure.
HIS ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOM
PLISHMENTS.
(Special to the "Hongking Telegraph."} With the departure on leave to-morrow of Sir Frederick Lugard, the Colony loses tem- porarily an administrator whose team of service has been marked in more ways to gae by the i development of its interest and the furtherance of its progress. His Excellency assumed the reins of goverament on the 25th of July, 19-7, in succession to Sir Matthew Nathan, There is a proneness on the part of Crowe Colonists to take excaption to military Governors, but certainly in the case of our last two Governors nothing was there to be found fault with, Few Gaver- nois of the Colony made themselves ninre popular or did betier work than Major Sir Matthew Natban. Nor bas Brigadier-General Sir Freeck Lugard failed to keep up with the bigh ideals set by his predecessor. His Ex- celebuy carries away with him the best wishes of this c. mmasity combined with the bope that he will sua be amongst us agaio in full fettle aud in costioned good health.
Daring His Excellency's administration many very important movements connected with Hongkong's welfare have been projected or carried ou. When he arrived in the Colony Dearly three years ago it was suffering severely from trade depression and in a financial sense appeared to be verging
ON BANKRUPCY.
The first consideration, therefore, which our new Governor had to face was the ways and means for the raising of funds. This all-im- perlant problem was made more difficult of solution because of the fact that just about that time the Liberal Government had sent out its fat that the opium traffic had to come to an eod. This, of course, meast a big reduction of revenge, for the opiam trade bad for years represented one of the must productiva of Hongkong's feeders of the public purse. Though the stoppage of the opium imports was to be gradual, its effect was im mediately felt by the Colonial Treasury, and His Excellency took up the prudent policy of approaching the Colonial Office and demand- ing that Hongkong should receive compez- sation for the loss of trade revenue caused by the restrictions put upon her by the Home Government. His representations proved to be so powerful and to the point that guarantees were given of an imperial grant partially to cover the deficit which their opium decree had. served to create. As it was
VERY HAPPILY PUT
in the address presented yesterday by the Chinese Communiy-Since Your Excel İsucy came to givs peace in this stute, all the business of administration has been carried on by you with success, but you have regarded the development of education and the encourage. ment of talent as your most important duty, and all your erergies and laculties have been devoted to its establishment of a Uni- versity, how the foundation stons Iras dern duly laid and the magnificent project is on the way to realisation. We leel confident that ip the future the result of the education givea in the University will tullit all expectation."
Gestan ly the greatest project with which Sir Frederick Lugard's name will remain assoc ated for all time is the history of Hongkong will be the University scheme. From the very day that he arrived in the Colony His Ex- cellency lost do opponually of impressing upoa the people that the establishment of a Uni versity was one of the most crying needs in our midst. Whilst not belittling by any manuer of meaus the excellence of existing scholastic Limitations, he was at the sound and definite
opinion that Huagkong regained a University! of her own. So forcible did his arguments! prove that they penetrated to the hearts of all, and now, through the
GENELOUS LIBERALITY
of Siz Hormasjee Mody and the Chinese com- musities of Hongkong and Cantos, as well as of that of local merchants, we have wit nosed the materialisation of Sir Frederick's schome, which no very far distant dare was: generally regarded as visionary and in- practicable,
Sir Frederick Lugard has erjoyed the pleasure of sosing his hopes fufilled and of nimself laying the foundation stute Hongkong University. it may be tbat he will yet be occupying the Governor- ship of the Colony when the time comes for it LO be opened and such a con- summation would be ec.irely fitting, and gratifying to all concerned. At the presentation of the Cainese address yesterday, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai expressed the hops that during his sojour in England, in Frederick would be able to obtain still further donations towards the Uai. versily scheme and its endowment and His Excellency assured his bearers, with charac teristic tarseness, that he would do his best though pointing out at the same me that the maiter is one that primarily affects us out here. But it is not only is the case of the University that His Excellency has left bis dis- -tinctive werk upon our Colonial adminisus- ¡tion To the matter of the dea
CANTON-KOWLOON RAILWAY and especially of the Bitish section, he has shows intense interest and endeavour to speed o the work and keep down expenses which unfortunately have amounted to so much wore than the estimates. His Excellency has kept himself in constant touch with the progress of the line and has made many journeys along the track in order to see for himself how things were proceeding. His last visit was made only a few days ago, on which occasion he was accompanied by the principal Govern- meat officials. The patty traversed the whole route to the boundary by rail with the excep tion of No. 4 bridge, which had to be crossed on foot. So that Sir Frederick will be able to report favourably, when he reaches Home, upon the constructional progress if not upon the itated costs. One could dilato almost eaflessly upon the many public measures that ave been effected under the agis of Sir F. Lagund. Space permits of dealing with only a few of the more important. But this article would be incomplete without reference to the FINANC AL FOLICY initiated by Hie Excel acy
when the foods of the Colonial Exchequer bad become deplenished and the revenue was still falling. Some bald step was obvious-
ly necessary to make ends meet and Ircal- ly the tension of festing as to which section of the monile.mor to hear tha kront of cAR.
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