CO129-220 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [1-3] — Page 322

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Enclosure 2.

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IREOP

REGO 7 APR 35.

As the Hon. W. Keswick remarked, the turning of the first sod of the Bowen Park on Friday last will be remembered as an im- portant era in Hongkong to the improve. ment of the Wong-nei-chong valley for the general public. The drainage of the valley is required in the interests of the increasing population in the masters district of Victoria on sanitary grounds, and the formation of the intended park will undoubtedly tend to increase the value of property in that di- į rection. The estimated cost is $25,000, and this will, the GOVERNOR tells us, be spread over two or three years. In return for this outlay the public will have a greatly im- proved Racecourse, and a recreation ground accessible to all classes of the population. There will be a cricket ground and tennis lawns for the public, a polo-ground, and ear. riage drives and walks, tastefully laid out. The Bowen Park, as it has been fittingly named in bonour of the Governor who bas secured it for the use of the public, will be available for sports of all kinds, for public games, and for military reviews. At present the only ground available for athletic sports is the Cricket Ground adjoining the Military Parade Ground, and even this might perhaps have to be surrendered if the Garrison be materially increased bye and bye, a con- tingency by no means improbable. Even supposing, however, that the Cricket Ground continues to remain at the disposal of the public, it is wholly insufficient for the wanta of the growing community. We refer now not only to the British and European section of the population and the large number of growing boys belonging to it, but to the Portuguese and Chinese youth, who are gradu- ally developing a taste for sports which

should

should receive every encouragement. It is most desirable that adequate provision should be made for outdoor recreation and that a taste for social athletics should be fostered among the rising rare of these com- munities. The fact ought to be practically recognised that the Portuguese and Chinese have an equal right to that corpus sanum which alone ensures the mens sana, the well: balanced mind, and this cannot be done while there is no place where they can freely in- dulge in athletics or sports. The Portu guese youth have latterly come to the front at the juvenile athletic sports, and many of them are learning to play cricket.

We hope that when the Bowen Park is opened there will be ample verge and scope for the deve lopment of several cricket clubs, and that manly games will become popular among the colonial youth of all nationalities. While affording to the youth of Hongkong a place for exercise and pleasure, the Bowen Park will also give to their seniors a charming place of resort, where they can enjoy the beauties of nature without toiling up the bills, and we have no doubt the tramway of the future will convey numerous visitors to the Valley for this purpose. The imme- diate vicinity of so delightful a spot should not, moreover, be without its influence in the settlement of the large area now being reclaimed in Causeway Bay, affording a site for a large auburb of the city, which in deed it is destined eventually to become. The name of His Excellency the GOVERNOR has been linked with many places and insti- tutions in different colonies, but with none which has a more laudable object or one that is likely to yield more gratification than the Bowen Park to the people for whose beneft it is to be made.