Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 30

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The new system of signalling the approach of vessels has been completed in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee appointed in 1893.

The statue of the Queen in commemoration of Her Most Gracious Majesty's Jubilee has been erected on the Praya Reclamation and was unveiled by me on the 28th May, amidst general rejoicings and loyal demonstrations.

With respect to Taipingshan considerable progress has been made with the demolition of insanitary dwellings, and the necessary works for relaying out the resumed area for building purposes. Contracts have been entered into for dealing with about one half of the resumed area, and works in connection with the greater part of the remainder will shortly be commenced. A report on the subject will be laid on the table to which I direct your attention as the anticipations which I was led to form this time last year have not been fulfilled.

As to the Praya Reclamation Works, though difficulties have arisen in connection with the rapid completion of certain portions, fair progress has been made. The Marine Lot-holders have, in several instances, obtained permission to enter into possession of their portions, and fine buildings are in course of erection on some of the land reclaimed.

In addition to the foregoing works, the condition of the villages has not been overlooked, and works of drainage, water supply, and general improvements have been completed, whilst others are in hand in Shaukiwan, Aberdeen, Mong-Kok-Tsui and Tai-Kok-Tsui. The requirements of the increasing population of the Hill District have not been lost sight of, and it is proposed at an early date to commence the construction of an improved road from near Victoria Gap to the Mount Kellet Road.

The increasing requirements of the Colony in the matter of Government Offices and the question of providing new offices and concentrating them, so far as possible, under one roof, appeared to me to call for a special enquiry. I referred the matter accordingly to a Committee, whose report I have just received. That report will be published.

normal attendance.

With respect to Education I regret to say that the experiences of the year have been sonie- what unfortunate. The recurrence of the plague, and the measures taken to prevent over- crowding, together with the rise in house rents resulting from those measures, caused a large number of Chinese, as I have already said, to send their women and children out of the Colony. The attendance at schools by Chinese children, and more particularly girls' schools, decreased considerably; the decrease amounting to probably 30 per cent. of their The attendance at five Chinese schools ceased entirely and the schools had to be closed, but as three new schools have been opened in places unaffected by plague and its consequences the total number of schools under the Education Department is 119 as compared with 121 in 1895. The above unsatisfactory experiences have been confined almost entirely to schools attended by the poorer classes of the native population. The other schools, especially those attended by non-Chinese children, have for the most part retained their normal attendance. Efforts are being made to increase the number of schools offering English teaching to natives, but only one school of this description could be opened during the present year. Steps have been taken, however, to inprove the teaching of English at Queen's College, and in order to allow more time for that purpose, the purely Chinese branch of that establishment has been entirely abolished.

With regard to shipping, Hongkong continues to hold an important position amongst the Ports of the Empire. During the nine months ending 30th September last, over 7,000 ships of European construction entered and cleared at the Harbour Office, bringing and taking away cargoes amounting to nearly 55 per cent. of their registered tonnage, and conveying to and from the Colony 1,026,469 passengers.

In addition to these, 53,000 trading junks carried 1,309,338 tons of cargo in and out, and conveyed 161,991 passengers.

Compared with the same period of 1895 this means an increase of 412 European con- structed vessels, carrying 233,675 more tons of cargo, and an increase of over 8,600 junks with 125,638 tons of cargo, and a total increase in the passenger traffic amounting to 1,986.

A correspondence with the Unofficial Members in regard to the proposed abolition of the Light Dues levied to cover the cost and maintenance of Gap Rock Lighthouse will be laid on the Council table.

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