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whole lay-out of the Code.
I have heard from Dr. Priestley that ho has been mado
a member of the Hong Kong Committeo. I assume that you havo formed a sub-committee of the A.C.E.C. to deal with educational matters arising in this Colony, and I am very glad indeed to hear it. I expect the indefatigable Burney will be the Chairman of this sub-committee, at least I hope that he is. I can assure the sub- committee that in the state we find ourselves at the present time, they are going to have a considerable amount of work on their hands. Please give my regards to Burney, Crocch-Jones, Miss Oakden and others at tho A.C.E.C.
Walton arrived three weeks ago, and is tackling the problem, as he finds it, with energy and vigour. The teachers are gradually drifting back and I believe that quite a number are assombling in Kunming and are endeavouring to obtain onward transport. As this is by air, they can only come in a few at a time, when lack of priority passengers permits, which is not often. I think that we now have all those who were in Macau back again with us. When all those now in China re-appear, it seems to mo that we shall have more staff than we require. This is due to the great shortage of school buildings and equipmont. Unfortunate- ly, five schools in Kowloon arc still occupied for military reasons, although I hope to have Yaumati School released shortly.
In view of the shortage of buildings and equipment, I have givon permission for the grant schools to operato as co-cduca- tional schools during the period of Military Government; but even so, they are turning away hundreds of applicants for admission every wook. It would indeed be easy to requisition various buildings as schools, but in the absence of stationery, desks and the usual school furniture, such an action would not result in any material benefit to the children. We are in the position of having no promises sufficiently large to accommodate a Chinese secondary school such as King's and Queen's used to be, and, as I have said in a separato communication, (a copy of which is attached) the War Office in reply to their T.0.0.261923A, King's and Quoon's College are completely wrecked, and re-building in both cases will be necessary. It does give us an opportunity of re-siting Queen's Collogo in a more suitable arca, and Walton has boon exploring possibilities and sont recommendations in to the Roquisitioning Officer. How soon it will be possible to start building is another mattor, especially in the present shortage of staff in the Works Department, and the lack of building material.
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In the 12 grant aided schools to dato, there are about 5/6000 children and in the vernacular schools, either subsidised or private, there are about 6/7000 children in about 48 schools. We have oponed one Government Junior School, ages 8 to 12 plus, and are in process of opening three Covernment vernacular schools in requisitioned premises. The girls secondary school (Bolilios) is expected to open on the 1st of Novombor in one floor of the Northcote Training Collogo. Miss Stephon has deferred her