Sessional_Paper_1899 — Page 197

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

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As in Ceylon, records of all the cases tried should be carefully kept and re- gularly inspected from time to time by a travelling magistrate, who should exer- cise strict supervision over the native tribunals. This officer should have a knowledge of Chinese and of law.

An appeal to the council of a Tung should lie from a decision of a village tribunal. The resident should be the final court of appeal in all matters, civil or criminal, cognizable by native tribunals.

In criminal matters offences punishable by death, as well as offences such as piracy, arson, treason, forgery, highway robbery, burglary, &c., should be heard before the Hongkong Police Magistrate, and, if there is a primâ facie case, be com- mitted by him for trial.

Prison.

As to prison accommodation I recommend that a gaol large enough to accom- modate 50 persons be established.

The head of the police should discharge the duties of superintendent. The Chief Inspector should act as chief warder, and the other warders could be second- ed from the police. The prison should be situated at headquarters where the Commissioner resides.

In addition to the main prison, there should be in each Tung a lock-up for detaining prisoners pending trial or transfer to the chief prison; and in each village accommodation should be provided in the watch-house for detaining pri- soners pending trial before the village tribunal.

Medical and Sanitary.

A European medical officer should be appointed to look after the officers of the Government, and superintend generally sanitary matters throughout the ter- ritory. He should have under him a staff consisting of two Chinese assistants trained in Western medical science, who would aid him in the work of supervising medical and sanitary matters throughout the villages. A small hospital should be erected at headquarters, and in course of time dispensaries should be established at different points in the territory.

For purposes of sanitation the council and head constable in each village should co-operate with the medical authority, and should be encouraged to keep their villages in a cleanly condition.

Education.

At present every village of any size in the territory has at least one school, in which the Chinese Classics are taught. The schoolmaster's salary is paid by the villagers. In addition to these schools there is at Namt'au, the chief city of the district, a college or Shü Ün, under a Director and Assistant Director of Studies, in which candidates for the first and higher degrees may study. These candidates, who are commonly known as Tung Shang, have already passed two examinations--one, held by the magistrate of the district, and one by the prefect of the Kwong Chau Prefecture, the Prefecture being made up of a number of dis- tricts, of which San On is one. It is estimated that there are in the district of San On 300 T'ung Shang studying for the first degree, for which an examination is held yearly at Canton. The number of vacancies allotted to the district is eleven. There are said to be 150 graduates of the first degree resident in the whole district.

I recommend that the present village schools be retained, but that at the same time the study of English be encouraged. This could be done in the first instance by the establishment at the headquarters of the government of a school for the teaching of English under a master well acquainted with both Chinese and English. When a desire for a knowledge of English spreads, as is almost certain to be the case, other schools can be established at different places throughout the area. an inducement to learn English, free scholarships at Queen's College should be offered to the best students in the new territory, and the appointments of inter- preters should be, so far as possible, given to natives of the district who are qualified to fill them.

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