219
7 * 32
GOP Y
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
0.0.
40976
Rest 21 NOV 01
I have now to inform you that I left Hongkong in the "Stanley" on Wednesday last and proceeded round the East coast inspecting the schools and arrived at 3 fathoms bay on Thursday evening. On Friday I returned overland to Sai Kong inspecting schools in the villages I passed through. I returned to Hongkong the same evening.
I had two principal objects in view, first to ascertain whether the opinions I expressed in my letter of 12.8.01 were in consonance with the facts, and the recommendations I made were practicable. I am pleased to say that I see no reason for changing my opinion. On the contrary without being unduly confident I may say that the difficulties and obstruction I anticipated are not likely to be as formidable as I feared. Indeed I was agreeably surprised by the courteous way I was received. The Elders seemed to take the matter by the right handle not as an interference with their school but as a charity on the part of Government. In my letter I asked for $20 each for 200 schools but from what I now see, I am in hope that a considerably smaller sum will serve all useful purposes. Now-exer it does not do to be too sanguine. I had to cut short my trip as the "Stanley" could not longer be spared, which brings me to the
second object of my visit which was that I should familiarise myself with the country and the people - a slow process. The country is very bad for travelling. I found that the land passage across isthmuses that looked short cuts from village to village on the map really meant climbing hills by zig-zag tracks to a height of 7 or 8 hundred feet. Most of the villages are fishing villages on the coast. There are also many containing schools on the Islands. Some form of water conveyance is an absolute necessity if the scheme I have suggested is to be a success.
The Assistant Inspector must be visiting these schools one after the other all through the year. His boat hire when boats could be got would be a considerable charge. Again for myself I must have some certain means of water transport. The "Stanley" is too expensive: $50 a day for fuel. A launch if hired is about $400 a month. I thought at one time I would depend on the Police boats but I now see that is impossible as my movements on shore are uncertain. An Elder may have to be sent for, I may be away 1/2 hour or 2 hours.
The only way out of the difficulty that I can see is to ask Government to allow me to have a Hakka Boat built for the Department for the use of the Assistant Inspector the whole year, and myself when I needed it. I would have the additional
219
7 * 32
GOP Y
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
0.0.
40976
Rest 21 NOV 01
I have now to inform you that I left
Hongkong in the "Stanley" on Wednesday last and proceeded round the East coast inspecting the schools and arrived at 3 fathous bay on Thursday evening. On Friday I returned overland to Sai Kong inspecting schools in the villages I passed through. I returned to Hongkong the same evening.
I had two principal objects in view, first to ascertain whether the opinions. I expressed in my letter of 12.8.01 were in consonance with the facts, and the recommendations I made were practicable. I am pleased to say that I see no reason for changing my opinion. On the contrary without being unduly confident I may say that the difficulties and obstruction I anticipated are not likely to be as formidable as I feared. Indeed I was agreeably sur- prised by the courteous way I was received. The Elders seemed to take the matter by the right handle not as an interference with their school but as a charity on the part of Government. In my letter I asked for $20 each for 200 schools but from what I now sae, I am in hope that a considerably smaller sun will serve all useful purposes. Now- exer it does not do to be too sanguine. I had to oat short my trip as the "Stanley" could not longer be spared, which brings me to the
should familiarise myself second object of my visit which was that with the country and the people - a slow process. The country is very bad for travelling. I found that the land passage across isthmuses that looked short cuts from village to village on the map really meet climbing bills by zile tracks to a height of 7 or 8 bundred feet. Host of the villages are fishing villages on the coast. There are also many containing schools on the Islands. Some form of water conveyance is an absolute necessity if the schane I have suggested is to be a
success.
The Assistant Inspector must be visit-
ing these schools one after the other all through the year. His boat bire when boats could be got would be a considetable charge. Again se for myself I must have some certain means of water transport. The "Stanley" is too expensive:$50 a day for fuel. A launch if hired is about $400 a month. I thought at one time I would depend on the Police boats but I now see that is impossible as my movements on shore are uncertain. An Elder way have to be sent for, I may be away 1/8 hour or 2 hours.
The only way out of the difficulty
that I can see is to ask Government to allow me to have a Hakka Boat built for the Department for the use of the Assistant. Inspector the whole year, and myself when I needed it. I ́would have the addi-
-tional
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