691303-1877-Central-School-Report--c--as-to-Site-for--Tree-Planting-Report-as-to-Time-Ball-Regarding-the-Establishment-of-a-Breakwater-Report-on-the-Erection-of- — Page 4

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH NOVEMBER, 1877. 503

HONGKONG, 30th May, 1876.

SIR, I have now the honour to enclose, for transmission to His Excellency the Governor, the Report of the Board which, at His Excellency's request, sat to consider a site for the Central School. I also beg to return the Surveyor General's Report and the Memorandum attached to the same by the Governor, which was forwarded to the Board for its information.

I have the honour to be,

To the Honourable J. G. AUSTIN, C.M.G.,

Colonial Secretary,

REPORT.

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

H. Lowcock, Chairman.

His Excellency Sir A. E. KENNEDY, K.C.M.G., C.B., having directed that a Board should sit to take into consideration the selection of a site for the Government new Central School, consisting of the Honourable C. MAY, the Honourable H. Lowcock, the Surveyor. General, and the Inspector of Schools, these gentlemen accordingly formed a Committee of Enquiry, and now beg to report as follows:-

Firstly. The Board took into consideration, as directed, the accommodation necessary to be provided, with the view, if possible, of reducing the number of rooms in the list appended to the Surveyor General's Report. The Board is of opinion, looking at the number of scholars now in the school, 420, and the constant applications on the part of a much larger number than can be at present accommodated, that no reduction in the number of rooms required is practicable, though a different arrangement of some might be made without reducing the amount of accommodation; for instance, it is suggested that the room to be used as an Examination Hall might be so constructed as to admit of its subdivision by moveable partitions into three rooms, thus reducing to two the number of separate class rooms.

Secondly. The Board directed its attention to the selection of a site for the school, giving due weight and careful consideration to the matter as regard salubrity, economy and neighbourhood, and with these points before them, took the best evidence obtainable from those connected with, or interested in, the school, European, Portuguese and Chinese, in regard to the sites detailed in the Surveyor General's Report.

1st. The Bonham Road site, or the piece of ground near the Berlin Mission, belonging to Messrs. A. Heard & Co.'s estate. All the evidence adduced showed, that this site, though admirably adapted for building purposes and well situated as far as salubrity is concerned, was too far distant from the homes of most of the scholars, and for that reason was considered very undesirable. It would take too long a time for them to go to and from home for their meals, and the exposed position of the road would render it necessary for many of them to use chairs during the hot season, an expense few could afford, and it was therefore thought probable should this site be chosen, that the falling off in the attendance at the school would be considerable. [Evidence attached.]

2nd Site. Possession Point.-This, for many of the reasons given in the Surveyor General's Report, might be considered an elegible situation, but the very strong objections raised to it by all the witnesses who were examined, have caused the Commissioners to be unanimous in their opinion that it should not be availed of. European and respectable Chinese parents would object very strongly to the school being placed there, owing to the vicinity of the theatres and houses of ill fame, of which the neighbourhood almost exclusively consists.

3rd Site. That on which the School at present stands, with the addition of the Bamboo Garden.- This site, doubtless, is a very desirable one for salubrity and neighbourhood, and from these points, was unanimously considered so; but, on the other hand, from the nature of the ground, the buildings erected would necessarily be less coveniently arranged than if placed on ground with less slope, and it must be borne in mind that in the event of the school occupying this position, temporary accommodation would have to be provided for over a year, an arrangement causing much expense and the inconvenience of two removals, and the objections against it, detailed in Mr. PRICE'S Report, are fully concurred in by the Board.

4th Site. Rangel's Property. The Board has no hesitation in stating, that, taking every thing into consideration, this is by far the most appropriate site that can be chosen, and in this they are. borne out by all the evidence obtainable on the subject. It is healthy and conveniently situated for the greater number of those who attend the school, while the nature of the ground is suitable for building and the whole place might probably be purchased at a reasonable rate.

5th Site. On the Queen's Road, nearly opposite to the Koshing Theatre. This is open to the objections which apply to Possession Point, with the addition of being still less salubrious, while the situation and nature of the site are inconvenient for building.

6th Site. The remarks of the Surveyor General on this site in his Report, in which the Board quite concurs, render it unnecessary to comment on it.