CO129-527-9 Proposed establishment of industrial school for boys. Question of Catholic and Salvation Army influence 8-7-1930 - 31-10-1930 — Page 18

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can now be raised locally, mainly by donations from generous Chinese supporters who have already shown great interest in

this proposal.

2.

Although the title "Reformatory" is avoided the school would, it is hoped, go some way towards meeting the total lack in this Colony of a Reformatory for young Chinese boys who have committed petty crimes and who may tend to grow up into habitual criminals. It would also train up into useful citizens many poor boys with a perfectly clean record, who through poverty and bad companionship might otherwise develop into criminals. Previous attempts to

establish a Reformatory in Hong Kong have not been successful. As long ago as 1900 a building was presented to the Colony by

the late Mr. Belilios for use as a Reformatory School. A

staff was brought out from England and Ordinance No.11 of

1901, which was forwarded for signification of His Majesty's

pleasure under cover of Sir Henry Blake's despatch No.318 of

the 20th of August, 1901, was drawn up with this institution

in mind. Failure in that instance was put down to the

decision to confine admission to the children of Chinese

British-subjects, since to admit aliens would have meant that

a great many Chinese boys not belonging to Hong Kong would

have become a burden to the Colony, and repatriation to China

was considered a quicker method of dealing with them. The

majority of these young criminals arrive in the Colony from

Chinese Territory and it is in Canton rather than Hong Kong

that a Reformatory seems to be needed. The objection still

remains to the establishment of a Government Reformatory which

would soon be filled with boys who do not really belong to

Hong Kong. The present suggestion, however, for a privately-

managed and Goverment-subsidized Industrial Home will, I

consider