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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
to 503 in January. This of course only represents the European and United States traffic. The great bulk of the aircraft normally using Kai Tak are flying to destinations in China, and the future of this traffic is still obscure. Nevertheless it is essential that the Airport should be kept up to date in every respect, and provision has accordingly been included for more sodium lights for use in periods of bad visibility, and for more up to date fire fighting equipment which, together with the extension of the water mains being provided for under Public Works Non- Recurrent, will cost about $300,000.
I now pass on to Education. There are now 830 schools of all sorts in operation in the Colony, which is about 100 more than existed at this time last year. In view of this increase in numbers and of the spread of certain undesirable activities, the Senior Inspectorate staff of the Department has been strengthened. A considerable building programme has been provided for, both under Public Works Non-Recurrent and from Loan funds. Work on the Kowloon Junior School and the Ver- nacular Primary School is going ahead satisfactorily. Work will soon start on the new Queen's College and two floors of the old King's College building are being rehabilitated. During the year certain public-spirited persons have given considerable monetary aid towards the construction of new schools in the New Territories. Among these, I should like to cite Mrs. Eu Tong Sen, the Kaifongs of Un Long, and the villagers in the Lam Tsuen Valley. Sir Robert Ho Tung has also kindly pro- mised to contribute towards the cost of a Girls' school which will bear his name, and provision for the Government contribution has tentatively been made under Public Works Non- Recurrent.
School fees are being increased with effect from the 1st September, which is the beginning of the new school year. With certain minor exceptions fees in Government schools have not been altered since 1931, and consequently they bear no relation to the cost of education, or to the fees charged in private schools. Any hardship which might have resulted from this measure, which has the support of the Board of Education, will be prevented by the doubling of the number of free places. The increase in school fees is not so important from the revenue point of view as from the fact that it will tend to reduce quite appreciably the increasing burden which Government has been bearing since the re-occupation in regard to the Grant-in-Aid schools. When they bring their fees into line with the fees in Government schools, the deficit on their year's working, which Government meets, will naturally be reduced.
Under the Marine Department Head, provision has been included for a new fire float which is expected to cost $1,500,000. This is a lot of money but it is considered essential that a port of this importance should have a really up to date fire float, and this view was strongly urged by the Commission on the Wing On Godown Fire.