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III-LEGISLATION.
Sixteen (16) ordinances were passed during 1925, of which eight were amendments of previous ordinances.
The most important matters with which these ordinances dealt
were :-
The Bishop of Victoria Incorporation (No. 4) -The object of this ordinance was to incorporate the Bishop of Victoria. in order to enable him to hold inmovable property in per- petual success, and in particular to enable him to hold the site of St. Paul's College, which was being vested in him with the consent of His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, the present legal owner.
The Sailors Home (No. 5)—The object of this ordinance was to create a corporation to be known as "The Trustees of the Sailors Home in Hong Kong," to appoint the first trustees, and to vest in the new incorporation the Crown lease of the land on which the present Sailors Home stands.
"
The "Petites Soeurs des Pauvres. St. Pern, Bretagne
(No. 6)-The object of this ordinance was to incorporate the Petites Soeurs des Pauvres, St. Pern, Bretagne, in order to enable them to hold immovable property in per- petual succession,
The Telephone (No. 9)—The object of this ordinance was to provide for the establishment of an improved telephone service in the Colony by means of a concession to a new local Telephone Company to supply telephonic communi- cation within the Colony for a period of fifty years com- mencing from 1st July, 1925.
The June Settlement (No. 11-The object of this ordinance
was to postpone the June settlement day.
The Registration of United Kingdom Patents (No. 13) -The object of this ordinance was to provide for the registration in Hong Kong of letters patents granted in the United Kingdom.
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IV.-EDUCATION.
The European staff was decreased by twelve during the year.
The total number of pupils at schools in the Colony excluding the Police School are :-
Number of Pupils.
Total.
English
Vernacular
Schools.
Schools.
Government Schools
3,805
44
Military Schools
148
3,840 148
Excluded Private Schools
210
210
Grant Schools
4,242
1,176
5,418
Controlled
Private
Schools
3,283
22,531
25,814
Controlled
Private
Schools, New Terri- tories
25
5,215
5,240
Technical Institute
580
580
Total
12,293
28,966
41,259
The most important schools are Queen's College for Chinese, four District Schools its feeders, and the Belilios Public School for Chinese girls. There is an Indian School of growing importance housed in a building presented to the Colony by the late Sir Ellis Kadoorie. Central School and Quarry Bay, Kowloon Junior and Victoria Schools for children of British parentage have an average attendance of 257. There is also a school for the children of the Peak District with an average attendance of 34. The Diocesan School and Orphanage and St. Joseph's College are important boys' schools in receipt of an annual grant. The Italian, French, and St. Mary's Convents, the Diocesan Girls' School, and the St. Stephen's Girls School are the most important of the English Grant Schools for girls. There are two Vernacular Normal Schools for Men and Women respectively.
The Hong Kong Technical Institute affords an opportunity for higher education of students who have left school. Instruction was given in 1925 in Building Construction, Mechanics, Chemistry (Practical and Theoretical), Physics, Electricity, Commercial English, French, Shorthand, Book-keeping. Classes for men and women teachers, both English and Vernacular" are a feature of
the Institute.
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(C
The lecturers are recruited from the members of the medical and educational faculties of the Colony, and from the Department of Public Works, and receive fees for their services. The Institute is furnished with a well equipped chemical laboratory and excel- lent physical apparatus.
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