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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 19TH OCTOBER, 1878.
In connection with the educational vote of $630 to Mr. ARTHUR, Acting Second Master in the Central School, His Excellency asks for a further vote of 400 guineas as remuneration to Dr. EITEL, who had consented to perform the duties of Head of the Educational Department and Inspector of Schools during Mr. STEWART'S absence on leave.
His Excellency also lays upon the Table the resolutions passed at a recent Conference consisting of some of the Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils together with Mr. STEWART and Dr. EITEL, held to consider the question of the best means of promoting the study of English in the Colony, and states that with regard to the teaching of English in the Village Schools, one of the Villages, Wong-Nei-Chong, had volunteered to pay nearly twenty per cent of the salary necessary for securing the services of a Chinese Master who could teach English.
As recording the present amount of knowledge of English possessed by the Central School pupils, His Excellency further lays upon the Table a return prepared by Mr. STEWART, immediately before his departure, giving the English speaking capacity of each pupil then at the Central School.
The votes to Mr. ARTHUR and Dr. EITEL are then agreed to.
In reply to the Honourable F. B. JOHNSON, the Acting Colonial Secretary states that the $25,000 asked for, for Praya Re-construction Works, will be at present a charge on the Special Fund and not on the General Revenue of the Colony.
The different votes are agreed to.
Adverting to the necessity for an improved system of Prison Discipline, which he had fully laid before the Legislative Council in September last, His Excellency solicits the opinions of Honourable Members as to the advisability of employing prisoners on remunerative labour, whether within or without the Gaol walls, instead of such useless work as shot-drill and crank-labour.
In the course of his remarks, His Excellency suggests that it might be feasible to put by a certain small percentage of the prisoners' earnings to be given, when they are leaving the Gaol, to those who by industry and good conduct might deserve it.
Discussion ensues, in which His Honour the Acting Chief Justice, the Honourable H. LowcocK and the Honourable P. RYRIE speak approvingly of the suggested changes.
Finally it is proposed by the Acting Colonial Secretary, and carried unanimously:---
"That it is resolved that prisoners may be employed inside or outside the Geol under such
regulations as the Go ernor may frame."
› that the
In reply to the Honourable H. Lowcock, His Excellency informs Honourable Me question of transporting Criminals to Labuan was receiving the best consideration of Her Majesty's Government.
His Excellency informs Honourable Members that, following out the suggestion made last year by the Gaol Commission, he had determined, as an experimental measure and with the concurrence of special supervision of the Colonial Surgeon, to still further reduce the scale of rations allowed to prisoners.
Reverting to the remarks which he had on a former occasion made on the subject of the deporta- tion and branding of prisoners, His Excellency intimates his conviction that, with the general improve- ment in the Police Force, the establishment of the Chinese Detective Police, the introduction of Chinese Turnkeys in the Gaol, and the increased facilities of detection of old offenders by the system of registering their photographs,-the necessity for branding deported prisoners no longer existed. His Excellency asks the Members of Council to consider this question, and that of reducing to a permanent arrangement the release of well behaved prisoners after the expiration of two-thirds of their sentence, as he contemplates submitting a resolution to them on the subject before long.
His Excellency adverts to the injury inflicted especially on the soldiers and sailors by the facili- ties for the sale of cheap and injurious spirituous liquors in the Colony, and states that it may become his duty to ask for Legislative powers to deal with the question. Meanwhile, he would avail himself of the existing law to prevent the rum distillers from selling rum in any smaller quantity than 36 gallons at a time.
His Excellency adjourns the Council, sine die.
Read and confirmed, this 15th day of October, 1878.
H. E. WODEHOUSE,
Clerk of Councils.
J. POPE HENNESSY,
Governor.
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