44. Certificates were issued to 20 New Private Schools. Of the old ones, the Girls' School at Taikoktsui flourished for only about 2 months during the summer, while the school managed by the Tea-house guild has been going on with an average attendance of about 20. 13 Night Schools closed, of which 1 was struck off and 1 disappeared. The number of Night Schools is now 22.
45. The total number of Vernacular Schools is 394 (26 Grant, 346 Day and 22 Night Schools). 10 applications for the registration of new schools were refused. In 9 other cases, permission was withheld till more suitable premises should be found, and in 2 cases, the applicants disappeared after sending up their applications.
46. There were two prosecutions against unlawful schools. In one case, a fine was imposed, while in the other, the defendant was acquitted.
47. Every school has been visited at least once by the Inspector of Vernacular Schools and several times by the sub-inspector.
SUBSIDISED SCHOOLS-NEW TERRITORIES,
48. At the end of 1917, 45 Subsidised Schools were existing, but soon after the Chinese New Year, sometime in March, two were reported to have disappeared. These were (1) the Girls' School at Un Long and (2) a Boys' School at Kwai Chung. The teacher at Ma Wan having gone to Tsing I, the subsidy for the school there was withheld until a suitable teacher should be found. Six new schools were subsidised, viz., the schools at Shan Ha-wai, Sha Tin; R. C. Church, Saikung; She Tau; Sheung Shui; Tseng Lan-shu; and Yim Tin-tsai. The number of subsidised schools is now 48. Six schools are to be struck off from January next; this will bring the number down to 42. As some schools have been found to be distinctly better than others, provisions of a higher grant of $10 per month have been made this year for 15 schools. These schools are paid quarterly. In the first 3 quarters, all are paid the same amount of subsidy, i.e., $5 per mensem, while in the last quarter, those schools that are found at the annual inspection to have done well are given the higher grant of $10 per month as from January, the balance due for the first 3 quarters being paid at the last quarter. Six schools have received the higher grant this year. Five others that are not quite up to the standard of these 6, but have done very well, have been rewarded $30 extra for the year, as an encouragement.
49. The number of pupils is 1,132 and the average attendance is 974. Among these, there are only 39 girls.
50. One free scholar was admitted to the Un Long English School from one of these Vernacular Schools.
51. The Inspector of Vernacular Schools has personally visited each school once, while the Sub-Inspector for New Territories visited each 4 times.