CO129-215 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1884 [1-4] — Page 649

of it

t which referred more

especially to the Chinese Community have been translated

~

in the vernacular newspapers, and luwe produced (as I am informed) a very favourable impression on the Chinese who, as Your Lordship is awan, form the overwhelming ruajority of the population of this Colony) I have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

Humble Servant,

5.7 Bowen

Enclosure

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE

OF VICTORIA COLLEGE.

Saturday afternoon (April 26th, 1884) wit- nessed the formal commencement of the long projected work of erecting a new building for the accommodation of the institution hi- therto known as the Central School, but which has

now been honoured with the more dis- tinguished title of Victoria College. The cera- mony of laying the foundation stone was perform- ed by His Excellency the Governor, who was accompanied by Lady Bowen and the Misses Bowen, and the Officers of his Staff. Amongst

the large assemblage present wore Bishop Burdon. Admiral Sir W. M. Dowell, K.C.B., Col. Walker, R.E., Hon. F. Stewart, Hou. E. L. O'Malley, Mr. Justice Russell, Hon. J. M. Price, Hon. A. Lister, Hon. H. G. Thomsett, Hon. W.i Keswick, Hon. T. Jackson, Hou. Wong Shing, Rev. W. Jennings, Rev. Dr. Chalmers, M. Du jardin (Consul for France) and other Consuls; A number of Naval and Military officers and Members of the Civil Service, and a good many ladies. Most of the leading residents of the Colony were also present, including the principal Indian and Chinese Merchants. A mat- sbed tastefully decorated had been erected und was furnished with seats for the accommodation of visitors. The decorations and all the arrange- nents, we understand, were due to the energy and good taste of Mr. Butler, an officer of the Public Works Department, assisted by Mr. Mc- Leod, also of the same office.

The new College buildings which will be erect- ed on the site overlooking Hollywood Road, par- chased for the purpose by Sir Arthur Kennedy as far back as 1876, will be in the Doric style, and will be remarkable rather for their severe and academic simplicity and their efficiency to meet the requirements of the Educational De partment than for any pretension to ornateness of design. They comprise a main building fac ing the North, flanked by extensive wings at right angles to the former, the whole forming three sides of a quadranglo, very much in the style of many of the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge. The main block, which is three storied, includes a large Examination Hall or theatre, designed to bold 700 students. Spacious galleries run round the four sides of the Hall, and thuse, together with the auditorium, are approachable from the class-rooms by ample lobbies and wide stair-cases on both sides of the Hull. The two wings of the building are devoted to class-rooms, of which there are seven large ones to accommodate forty scholars, and fourteen smaller ones to accommodate thirty scholars each. The wings also contain the College library and the Masters' offices. In the basement the entire left wing is devoted to a gymnasium and covered play-ground for re- creation during wet weather, while the right wing is divided off into an extensive chemical laboratory, a scholars' day room, luncheon and cloak rooms, and also a large store room for school furniture. It is intended to construct

the entire fabric of red brick with granite quoins and facings and the use of timber in the floors and roof will bo restricted as much: as possible and substituted by iron joists and, cement concrete with a view to ensure not. fouly a fire-proof building but immunity from the ravages of white ants. The lower por tion of the site, immediately overlooking Hollywood Road, will be levelled and planted with trees, and laid out as a play ground. The i now College will take two years to build and when completed will he the largest public build- ing in the colony after the City Hall. We understand the cost of the work, including the preparation of the site, is estimated at abont $100,000.

The

C 0.

9454

RECR

REGS 5 JUN 14

The proceedings on Saturday commenced by the Hon. J. M. PRICE addressing the Governor as follows:-Your Excellency, in the name of the Hood Master and the students, as well as of other ; friends and supporters of the Central School present here to-day, I have been depated to thank your Excellency for the honour you have done us in coming to lay the foundation stone of the new Victoria College. We accept this act as a proof of the great personal interost taken by your Excellency in the welfare of the institution and in the promotion of education in this colony, and we trust that your Excellency may be in- duced to remain among us to preside over the mors interesting ceremony of the opening of the new College Buildings upon their completion two years hence. (Applause.) On my own behalf I have only to express the hope that the new Collage. when finished, may realize the expectations of your Excellency in enabling the 700 students, whom it is intended to accommodate, to prosecute their studies under improved sanitary conditions, in airy and capacious class rooms, in enabling them to attend lecturos in an adequately large theatre, in giving them facilities to undertake the practical study of physical science in a suit- able laboratory, and giving them the means of improving their physical training by healthy recreation in the proposed new College gymana- sium. With these advantages held out under the project which your Excellency is initiating to-day, its friends and supporters are confident that the new Victoria College will not only prove a great acquisition in respect of local require- ments, but that it is ultimately destined to eX- ercise a very important social and political in- inence beyond the confines of this colony in the opportunities and facilities which it will give to the rising generation of the neighbour ing Empire of prosecuting European studies, of acquiring European ideas, and of realizing the advantages of the civilization of the West. (Ap. plause.)

HIS EXCELLENCY-Mr. Prico and gentle. men, It is with very great satisfaction that I have come here to-day to lay the first stone of the new Victoria College, the chief educational institution in this colony, on which, in view of its growing importance, Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer her own name. I know that this entire community loyally appre- ciates the honour thus bestowed upon it by our boloved Sovereign, the Queen of Great Britain: and Empress of India, in Chinese phrase the Ta Whang Ti of the English race. (Applause). I well remember that when I first went to Ans- tralia in 1859, as the first Governor of Quecas- land, I announced to the great public meeting which was held to welcome ine on my arrival, that the name of the new colony (formerly called Moreton Bay) was the happy thought and inspiration of the Quest herself. The announce- ment of this simple fact was received by the four thousand of Her Majesty's subjects who formed my audience with an emotion rarely wit- nessed in so large a concourse; it was received with tears of joy and shouts of God Save the Queen!" (Applause). Formyself, I bave throughout my long career as Her Majesty's Representative in several provinces of her Empire, always been a zealous advocate for the extension of education

among all classes of the people, and I shall de- vote to the same sacred cause whatever yet may remain to me of active public life. (Applause. I am sure that you will all concur with me in thanking the Surveyor-General for his able and

interesting address, describing the handsome · and commodious College which will soon replace the present very inadequate and inconvenient building. Mr. Price's plans have been approved hy high professional anthority at home, and the new College, in addition to its other advantages, will be an ornament to this grand site, overlook- ing the city and our noble harbour, and the neighbouring mainland of China. (Applause). And here let me take this opportunity of saying a few words of friendly sympathy to the Chinese contractors, artisans, and working men, who, by their skilful labour, will erect here an edifice scarcely more honourable to the head that has planned than to the bands that will execute it. Let them be told that in England it is from their class that the chieftains of art and industry

hav

O If ill be

Chinew

646