Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 616

5. With regard to. Public Works; I am happy to be able to announce that a large instalment of the Sanitary improvements sanctioned by you has already been accomplished. The reclamation of the unhealthy lands at Yaumati, on the Kowloon Peninsula, is nearly completed; and the reclamation from the sea at Causeway Bay will be finished before the end of this year. In both these localities, extensive areas will be thrown open for building purposes. Moreover, under arrangements with several owners of marine allotments in that quarter, the construction of sea-walls and embankments has also been initiated at the Western extremity of the City; and the early erection is expected of an important suburb in that neighbour- hood.

6. Owing to the length of the negotiations with the War Office and the Admiralty, I have not yet received the final decision of the Imperial Government on the proposal to unite the Eastern and Western Prayas by an embankment and road in front of the Naval and Military Establishments. But steam-dredging machinery has already arrived from England, and will shortly be put into operation along the noxious foreshore. An aggregate length of two miles of new and improved main sewers has been constructed in the streets principally of the Central and Eastern districts, forming portion of the comprehensive system of drainage in contemplation for the entire City. But in respect of the equally vital question of private house-drainage, it has been found necessary to defer action pending the passing of the new Building Ordinance, which will be presented for your considera- tion during the next Session.

7. Among other works of public importance, the new Victoria College and the Quarantine Hospital at Stone Cutters' Island are now being actively pushed forward: while the works in the Tytam Valley in connexion with the extension of the Water Supply continue to make as favourable progress as the difficult nature of that undertaking will permit. Preparations are being made for the early erection of the new Central Market. The funds required to defray the cost of draining the marshy lands in the Wong-nei-chong Valley, with the view to their conversion into a Public Park, having been voted by you, no avoidable delay will take place in commencing a work so desirable on Sanitary and on other public grounds.

8. With respect to Public Education; the Report of the Government Inspector, which has been laid on your table, bears witness to satisfactory progress.

It will

be seen that "both the number of Primary Schools under Government supervision in the Colony, and the number of Scholars attending such schools have been more than doubled in the last ten years." It is, moreover, particularly gratifying to observe that this increase extends to the female as well as to the male portion of the community. At the same time, it is certain that great advantage will be gained for the higher education through the erection of the new Victoria College, and through the foundation of Government Scholarships enabling a certain number of promising young men to complete their professional studies in England.