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apparent that the balance weighs heavily in favour of post- ponement.
There is a further matter in con- nection with education, to which I desire to call attention. The Hon. Colonial Secretary, in his speech at the last meeting of this Council, warned non-Government schools re-
ceiving grants under the Grant Code, that in future a limit must be fixed for grants under the Code; and that expansions involv- ing claims beyond the amount pro- vided in the Estimates would not be admitted by the Government as a legitimate charge on the revenue. While I recognise that a limit must be set to such grants owing to the need for economy, I venture to hope that the Government will con- sider special applications in a sym- pathetic and liberal spirit, for any action tending to retard the natural expansion of a school which is is doing good work would be a retrogressive step, to be much deplored.
this increase in his speech at the last meeting of this Council, the Hon. Colonial Secretary charac- terised it as a small increase," and said that it could not be con- sidered a serious burden. I agree that the sum is small when it is spread over the whole population, or when it is compared with the amount spent on education by the Government. But to those indivi- duals who have children to educate, particularly to those of the work- ing classes earning from $30 to $100 a month, the additional fee would be a very serious burden indeed. Hit by the prolonged trade depression, with the cost of living steadily rising, these people already find it hard to make both ends meet; and many parents of large families are not a little exer- cised in their minds as to how they are to keep their children at school when the increase takes effect. One inevitable result would be that a large number of children would have to be withdrawn from school earlier than they would otherwise be-to the detriment of themselves and, consequentially, of Society. Representations, couched in the most earnest terms, from all classes of the Chinese community praying that the Government may see its way to reconsider its decision, have been made to my senior Chinese colleague and myself; and we feel bound to support this request. Heavy as our expenditure on edu-
On behalf of the Directors of the cation is, I respectfully submit Tung Wah and Kwong Wah Hospi- that money so spent by the State tals we beg to thank your Excel- should not be regarded as a strict- lency for having sanctioned the ly business investment, such as, for payment of the cost of free burials example, money spent on a railway carried out by these two institu- when the outlay must be commen-
tions. The Chinese community is surate with the direct return ex- keenly sensible of the sympathetic
which pected. The value of State educa-interest
your Excellency tion cannot be assessed in terms takes in their welfare. of dollars: it is in many ways analogous to the governmental policy in regard to Public Health. Your Excellency has been even more precise in stressing the point. When replying to the unofficial members during the Budget debate last year, you said that money spent by us on education was of times through which the Colony has
During the the utmost value to British in- terests in China, and you further passed, the community has been expressed your agreement with the greatly heartened by the practical Chinese unofficial members when sympathy shown by His Majesty's Government on more than one they said that they did not grudge occasion. The loyalty which
My senior Chinese colleague and I note with satisfaction that $10,000 has been provided in the Estimates for the purchase of water-meters for Kowloon. This is welcome news in that the popular demand, hitherto made by the Chinese without result, is now being met, if only to a partial ex- tent. We raised the question last year, and it is gratifying to us to find that our representations have borne fruit.
Chinese Loyalty.
I must not conclude, sir, with- out associating the Chinese com- munity with the congratulations as well as the assurance of loyalty and support tender.d by the Honourable Senior Unofficial Member.
troublous
the Chinese feel towards the
the expenditure. Since these ut- terances were made, nothing has occurred to justify a change of Government is equalled by the policy on the party of the Govern- loyalty they feel for your Excel- The patience, ment. I would therefore respect-ency personally. fully but strongly urge your Excel- judgment and untiring zeal which lency to postpone enforcement of you have displayed in governing your decision until times are bet the Colony in these extremely diffi- ter. If this small financial gain cult times have won the respect, admiration and, I may say, affec- is placed against the hardship to the people who will be unable to has been an inspiration to us all— tion of the people. Your example bear the extra burden, and the bad effect which the increase will have an inspiration which has steeled us on the community through a set against adversity, and renewed our
faith in the future. (Applause.) back to education, it will at once
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