Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 265

259

holidays, which last for a month or two. The spring holidays are next in length, which continue for about 20 days or a month and which are generally spent in worshipping the graves of ancestors. The schools in the New Territory are all adventure schools.

The teachers are generally natives of the sub-district in which the school is situated. Few hold any literary degree. The salary is small, from $5 (say 10s.) to $10 (1) a month being the average pay. In many cases the salary is paid in grain. Tea and fuel are supplied gratis to the teachers by the parents of the pupils.

In a few instances teachers are hired by wealthy families, as for example in Ts'oi Hang which seems to be the only place in the New territory where girls are educated. The buildings used for schools are private houses, ancestral halls or temples. In no case has any building been specially erected as a school-house. The books used are the usual Chinese school books. The subjects taught are the Chinese classics. The school hours commence in the morning before breakfast, which is taken about 9 or 10 a.in. After breakfast lessons are continued and school does not break up till about an hour before sunset whatever the season may be.

The schools are mostly elementary and even the most pretentious are only secondary.

The Chinese Government has never paid anything towards the maintenance of these schools. The teachers are always paid by the parents of the pupils.

It is important to note that the greatest number of holidays and the shortest hours of study occur in the cold weather, whilst in the hot and trying weather the pupils have the shortest holidays and the hardest work.

Many of the inhabitants seem anxious to learn English, and it is hoped that before long arrangements may be made for encouraging the study of English. It might be well to establish a school for the teaching of English at Un Long in the Shap Pát Hénng District, which is the most central and populous of all the sub- districts. I am of opinion that the present village schools should be retained, but that steps should be taken by the Government to encourage the teachers.

MEDICAL.

I attach a Report (see Appendix No. XVII) drawn up by Dr. ATKINSON, the Principal Civil Medical Officer, showing the work done by his Department in the New Territory during the past year.

From this Report it will be seen that the officers of the executive staff and of the police suffered much from malaria. Dr. ATKINSON is of opinion that much of the fever was caused by the temporary nature of the buildings occupied by the executive and the police, and anticipates a considerable decrease in the number of cases of malarial fever when permanent buildings have been erected.

There was an outbreak of plague in the island of Cheung Chau in April. Prompt measures were taken to combat it with the result that by the middle of June the disease was stamped out.

Arrangements have been made to perform vaccination throughout the territory. and to prescribe for any villagers, who may apply for advice or medicine, free of

cost.

HARBOUR DEPARTMENT.

Up to the end of the year two Harbour Master's Stations had been established in the New Territory: one at the Island of Cheung Chau and one at Tái Ó in the Island of Lantao.

The station at Cheung Chau was opened in September and that at Tái Ó in October.

Up to the 31st December last, 2,616 licences, clearances, permits, &c. had been issued to junks at Cheung Chau, and 1,353 at Tái Ô.

POLICE.

Simultaneously with the taking over of the New Territory on the 16th April last, Police Stations were opened at Táipó, Shá-t'in, and Kowloon City. On the 22nd of April a station was opened at P'ing-shán, and on the 29th of that month another on the Island of Ch'eung Chau. One was opened at Futi Au, close to the Northern