NEW TERRITORIES (Contd.)
and expenditure of the New Territory will quadrate, and later on the Territory will materially assist in the general revenue.
So far no systematic geological examination has been made either of the mainland or of the large island at Lantao, but as a silver mine has been worked on the latter, it is possible that when the state of the revenue justifies the employment of a geologist, minerals may be found in payable quantities, in which event the congestion of the agricultural population would be relieved and new conditions established that would increase prosperity.
770 199
*
4
At present our most serious difficulties are armed robberies on shore and afloat which, though steadily diminishing, are still of too frequent occurrence. They are the most common offences in the Southern provinces and, so far as I can learn the provincial authorities do not attempt to deal with such cases until some village is reported as being specially notorious as harbouring robbers, when, if the authorities do not consider them too strong, a force is sent out and as many as possible arrested or the village destroyed.
But at this moment there are on the Canton Delta two towns well known as being the headquarters of piracies of the West River. As however they can muster over one thousand fighting men, the Canton Viceroy does not dare to interfere with them.
Such habits and customs cannot be controlled at once without a much larger police force than we have at present, but the Police have by a judicious system of patrolling, materially reduced the number of these offences, and a fair proportion of the perpetrators have been made amenable, and are undergoing punishment, while the people, who were at first disinclined to appeal to the Police, now show a readiness to come forward and give assistance in the work of detection.
The education in the New Territory has up to the present been left in the hands of the village teachers; but a school is about to be established in the large village of Un Long in which English will be taught by a competent Chinese master.
On the whole I consider the development of the New Territory satisfactory. There have been some difficulties experienced by the Public Works Department in carrying out their operations, but they have been surmounted without friction with the inhabitants, and without extravagance.
The Taipo Road has opened up a beautiful country round the shores of Mirs Bay, free from the fog that makes residence on the Peak so trying in the spring and early summer, and eight to ten degrees cooler than Hong Kong. It is probable that in years to come country houses will be built in this district, and other developments take place, that will conduce to the comfort and well-being of the Colony.
*
That concluded Sir Henry Blake's almost prophetic despatch. It is interesting to note the efforts to promote cattle-raising and sugarcane growing, as well as the hope, of discovering minerals in payable quantity: in those directions alone, results proved disappointing.
NEW TERRITORIES (Contd.)
and expenditure of the New Territory will quadrate, and later on the Territory will materially assist in the general revenue.
So far no systematic geological examination has been made either of the mainland or of the large island at Lantao, but as a silver mine has been worked on the latter, it is possible that when the state of the revenue justifies the employment of a geologist, minerals may be found in payable quantities, in which event the congestion of the agricultural population would be relieved and new conditions established that would increase prosperity.
770 199
*
4
At present our most serious difficulties are armed robberies on shore and afloat which, though steadily dimininshing, are still of too frequent occurrence. They are the most common offences in the Southern provinces and, so far as I can learn the provincial authorities do not attempt to deal with such cases until some willage is reported as being specially notorious as harbouring robbers, when, if the authorities do not consider them too strong, a force is sent out and as many as possible arrested or the village destroyed.
But at this moment there are on the Canton Delta two towns well known as being the headquarters of piracies of the West River. As however they can muster over one thousand fighting men, the Canton Viceroy does not dare to interfere with them.
Such babits and customes cannot be controlled at once without a much larger police force than we have at present, but the Police Have by a judicious system of patrolling, materially reduced the number of these offences, and a fair proportion of the perpetrators have been made amenabl, and are undergoing punishment, while the people, who were at first disinclimed to appeal to the Police, now show a readiness to come forward and give assistance in the work of detection.
The education in the New Territory has up to the present been left in the hands of the village teachers; but a school is about to be established in the large village of Un Long in which English will be taught by a competent Chinese master.
On the whole I consider the development of the New Territory satisfactory. There have been some difficulties experienced by the Public Works Department in carrying out their operations, but they have been surmounted without friction with the inhabitants, and without extravagence.
The Taipo Road has opened up a beautiful country round the shores of Mirs Bay, free from the fog that makes residence on the Peak so trying in the spring and early summer, and eight to ten detrees cooler than Hong Kong. It is probable that in years to come country houses will be built in tis district, and other developments take place, that will conduce to the comfort and well- being of the Colony.
*
That concluded Sir Henry Blake's almost prophetic despatch. It is interesting to note the efforts to promote cattle-raising and sugarcane growing, as well as the hope, of discovering minerals in payable quantity: in those directions alone, results proved disappointing.
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