CO129-388 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1912 [1-2] — Page 361

1

IC O P Y.

Enclosure 1.

Sir,

354

C O 3017

H. I. J. M's Consulate-

-General 23 MAR 12

Hongkong, 16th. December, 1911.

I have the honour to inform you that the Japanese

Community in this Colony is now contemplating building a Buddhist temple, the plan of which is herewith attached.

The Community has raised about dollars thirty thousand ($30,000), one third of which amount was contributed by the Chief Temple of "Hon-Gwan-Ji" in Kyoto, Japan.

The Japanese Community will be very much obliged if the Colonial Government will kindly give them some assistance in carrying out their scheme.

I.

Area:

1

II.

III.

IV.

Theparticulars are as follows:-

The total area for the site required for the pur- -pose is about 28,800 square feet, or 24 acres. Buildings: The area for the buildings, including temple and priest's room, which will be used as a reception room, is 5,940 square feet. The remaining portion of the lot will be used as a garden, according to the traditional custom of the Buddhist doctrine. Situation and Plan: The Japanese Community selected the site

at the top of the hill behind the Belllios Reforma- -tory, near the proposed site of the Japanese Crematorium at Soo-kum-po Valley. The plan of the building was designed by the Dr. C. Ito, the most famous architect in Japan. It combines the architectural ideas of Europe and Asia, especially India, and is planned so as to withstand the

strongest typhoon in South China.

Purpose: As the ground will be used solely and purely for

Religious purposes, the Japanese Community would

humbly