CO129-022 - Public Offices - 1847 — Page 271

policy towards our

Chinese fellow cabjects of the Seland of Hayhong

more promising subjects for

with the view of encouraging Eyrichan instruction . My

own observation leade me to fear that

the porecent system of Police injarionsly affects the immigration of respectable Chinese and the consequent improvement of the (dony).

For instance,

or

no

Chinc is permitted to more abroad in the strat

Chinese

A

without bearing a certain hour in the evening public roads after. a lantern and a written note from his lampan employer. respectable Chinese coming to Hongkong and venturing in the public streets without such protection would be in danger of being apprehended by the Police, kept in custody/ during night, and rendered hable to the humiliating disgrace of corporal punishment -

It may be pleaded that such a precaution

be

in the present evcial state of the Native population mays necessary; but I cannot forbear to state to your Lordship that sach a regime as long as it is permitted to continue will seriously affect the well being of the slong and preclude cocry hope of screwing than that which at present exists. any better class of immigrants Needy / adventurers who have little of character or of pecumary means will be bribed to submit for a few months to this regine by high wages. But to the wealthy Nation merchants, to the well educated Native scholars, to the Chinese gentry, money will to an ineffectual inducement in leading them to submit to each

regulations.

invidions

It would be easy to particularize other instances by which a ace of people, the most alive to

treatment, instead

of becoming friends,

Birish connexion ; & return with

to you are converted into enemies, of

£

to

276

heartburnings and hatred to the mam land, to spread abroad disaffection Hongking and detestation of the Western barbarians. Fill a more libent policy tow and the Native population of Winghing can be substituted for the preseal system, I cannot but express to your Lonship that these exicts but a very faint hope of being able to encourage the

ssly

immigration of a better class of commercial traders; or, what in

the question is of still higher impotance, of more hoppal

view of

cabjects for Chriskan instruction.

2. The second measured which Locature to propuse bryon

Lordships refers to the desirablenofs of ffirishian &

desimbleness of Christian Schools established and

sapported by Government for the intellectual, moral, and religious

that educational measures.

education of ffimese youths. It might at first view appear desirable might be undertaken by some of the Missionary Societies in existence, assisted by pecumary grants from the Colonial Legislature of Wongthing. Suck a plan would, I apprehend, be open to objections and many practical inconveniences. Si fornary Societies will always have a primary, if not exclusive, reference to the object of raising up a body of Native Teachers and Crangebich, who may, by the Drone blekking become the instructing of their follow- countynen.

at nuust look on the Matives

On the other hand, the Government educated by their friends,

as the nucleus of a body of Native In trepreters, writers, and subordinate Officers. In flima, where the language is is difficult, and when baterpector are consequently as much in request; the demand will for a long time considerably

do