CO129-258 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1893 [1-4] — Page 525

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and Sir RICHARD MCDONNELL, on the occasion of distribut- ing the prizes at St. Saviour's College, on the 22nd March, 1869, said in his speech:-

:-"Father RAIMONDI had mude "reference to the grant which had been made to the "Reformatory at West Point; he thought it needed some

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explanation, since the grant had been made on behalf of "the Government. The facts were simply these. If it "was not for this Institution the Government would have "thrown upon its hands a great number of destitute children "for whom a maintenance would have to be provided. "Buildings would have to be erected, Superintendents

provided, and a large expense therefore entailed upon Colony. Now all that he had done was to make a very "good bargain for the public. He had made a calculation "based upon which he had given about one-fourth of what "would otherwise be necessary to expend from the public "funds.'

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The Report published in 1871 sums up the work of seven years. "In these seven years the Industrial Schools

at that useful Institution have been successful. A few of "those boys first admitted are there still, now paid assist- "ants and useful aid to us in our work. We are rather "proud of them. Fourteen are in good situation in Hong- 'kong as carpenters, shoemakers, and tailors. Of the boys who are at present in the Reformatory, not less than "thirty are working well and satisfactorily, sixty-eight "others have spent a short time in the Reformatory and "have gone away without fully acquiring a trade, but we "have not heard of any being brought before the Magistrate +6 a second time.'

The Report printed in 1872 expatiates more on the success of the Reformatory. "It is with the greatest "pleasure and satisfaction that we this year lay before the

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'public the Annual Report of this Institution. The Reformatory gives us less trouble than any other of our "Establishments, and, nevertheless, we fully believe it to

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"be the most fruitful. It is going on quietly but steadily "and

proves to be a permanent and successful Institution. "The inmates of the Reformatory are evidently improving "in moral habits, they are trained to consider work as a "natural duty, they are taught not to treat it with aversion 'and, from the treatment which they receive, they feel at "home in an Establishment, which, unfortunately, is gene- rally considered a place of punishment and looked upon "with dislike. Some have obtained situations in the town "in the capacity of carpenters, shoemakers, and tailors. "With the exception of those who have been employed, we "could only, with great difficulty, prevail upon a few to "leave the Establishment, to make room for new-comers." And further on we read:

"It may perhaps appear strange, but it is notwith- standing a fact, that the Directors of the Reformatory "have always made it a point not to use the least coercion "to keep the boys in the Reformatory, and the system

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proves to be a success, and has the desired effect. The

boys are at liberty to leave the Home whenever they like, "but during the time they chose to remain, they must "submit themselves to a very strict discipline."

Besides trade shops, a school was attached to the Reformatory for reading and writing Chinese, as we read in the Report printed on the 2nd November, 1875, the following:-The Reformatory at West Point is the only "Roman Catholic Establishment where destitute boys are "received and taken care of, there is a day school for the younger boys, whose age and constitution do not allow "them to learn a trade, whilst those who have been em- 'ployed in their workshop during the day, have a class in "the evening when they are taught to write and read "Chinese."

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In November, 1875, the Christian Brothers took charge of the Reformatory. It was a very good acquisition for the discipline of the Institute.

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