CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 434

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While the Technical Institute has suffered in several directions from the activity of the University, it continues to perform many useful functions of its own. The Normal Classes ("English" and Vernacular" for men and women. the Shorthand, Mathematics, and English Classes were all well attended, as also were the "First Aid" Classes.

The Hongkong University is an institution that arose from the joint enterprise of British and Chinese subscribers. It was founded with funds representing about equal proportions of Chinese and British money.

At the end of the year the number of students was 172, 101 of whom were taking Engineering, 37 Medicine and 34 Arts. While most of the students have studied in Hongkong schools a number came from Canton, the Coast Ports of China and the Straits Settlements.

The idea of the University is to provide, close to China, education for Chinese similar to that given in the British Univer- sities, but at a much cheaper cost; for If a Chinese goes abroad to be educated he has to pay, besides travelling expenses, some $2,000 per aunum; whereas at Hongkong the expenses of the University are $540 per annum for board and tuition, or, including extras. from $600 to $650,

The founders of the University took into consideration the fact that Chinese students being educated abroad have usually to make their own arrangements for board and lodging. Consequently sometimes they contract irregular habits. All students educated at the Hongkong University are required to become boarders, and thus their whole lives are under supervision whilst they are there. Ample provision is made for indoor and outdoor recreation, and in this connection it is interesting to note that the Chinese residents of Hongkong recently subscribed a large sum for levelling a new playing field and that the work has just been completed.

The University is composed of three Faculties: 1.--Medical, which offers unexampled facilities for the practice of medicine. The anatomical laboratories were the gift of a Cantonese gentleman (Mr. Ng Li-hing). There is a large staff of instructors in medicine: all the principal doctors of Hongkong give lectures at the University. 2.-Arts. The establishment of this Faculty was largely due to the munificence of a Chinese gentleman in the Straits Settlements (Mr. Cheung Pat-sze). Its special object is to provide training suitable to those who desire to enter the public service or the higher branches of inercantile life. The course of instruction comprises English and Chinese literature, political and constitutional history, political economy, jurisprudence and international and commercial

law.

The largest of the Faculties is that of Engineering, to which nearly two-thirds of the students belong. It is divided into three branches. Civil, Electrical and Mechanical. The University has

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an exceptionally large equipment of machinery and apparatus, and has fourteen laboratories and workshops in working order. There is practically no place in ('hina where students have sucli an opportunity of seeing all kinds of machinery in actual working and of learning their practical management.

The University insists upon all students having a proper knowledge of their own language although instruction at the University is carried out in English. Students are required to pass an examination in written Chinese before entering, and two Chinese Professors, both Hanlin graduates, give lectures on the classics and history of China.

V.--PUBLIC WORKS.

The New Magistracy, a description of which was given in last year's report, was completed, the Courts heing opened on the 26th April. The Married Quarters for Police in Caine Road were also completed and occupied during the year. They consist of a three-storeyed block of 9 flats, four flats containing 1 rooms and five containing 3 rooms, each with kitchen and serrants' quarters com- plete. An extension to Victoria Gaol, consisting of a four-storeyed block, was completed during the year. The ground storey is open all round so that it can be utilized as a work-shed whilst each of the three upper storeys contains 20 cells. The tofal number of cells is thus 78. The school in the Ifill District, situated at the junction of Gough Hill Road and the Aberdeen Road, was completed during the year. The building is one-storeyed and contains 3 class-rooms and 2 sets of Mistresses' Quarters of 2 rooms cach, with kitchen, ser- vanta' quarters, &c., complete. New P.W.D. Stores situated in They Bullock Tane, Wanchai, were completed during the year. comprise an extensive store-vard (1-82 acres), containing a large open shed for the storage of heavy materials, a two-storeyed building for the storage of small stores, with nil store and office for the Inspector of Stores, and quarters for the Storekeeper and his staff. The low-power Wireless Telegraph Station at Cape D'Aguilar was completed and occupied during the year. The station comprises 2 buildings the one a one-storeyed building containing the wire- less apparatus, engine-room, battery-room, nil-stores, &c., and the other a two-storeyed building, containing the quarters for the opera- ting staff,

Accommodation for a Land Bailiff was provided at Tai Po by adding a storey to the Land Office. The quarters consist of a living room and two bedrooms, with the necessary verandah, bath-room and other subsidiary accommodation.

A Police Station at Lok Ma Chau was completed. The build- ing is two-storeyed and contains accommodation for a sergeant (3 rooms and two bath-roons), bne European constable (2 rooms and a bathroom). 10 Indian constables, 8 Chinese constables and 15 Chinese boatmen besides a cluarge-room, two cells and a small store- rooni A subsidiary wing contains the necessary kitchen, servants" and other accommodation.

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