Sessional_Paper_1903 — Page 571

No. 177-6th

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484

No. 7.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor, Hongkong.

HONGKONG.

No. 300.

DOWNING STREET, 12th September, 1902.

SIR, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Major-General Sir W. May. GASCOIGNE'S despatches, as noted in the margin, on the subject of education in May Hongkong.

178-7th

179-8th

May.

180--8th

182-8th

183-8th

May. 2. His despatch No. 177 of the 6th of May encloses and comments clearly 181-8th and practically upon the report of the Committee on Education which was appointed 1828 by yourself. To this report I will refer presently. His despatch No. 178 of the May 7th of May, encloses copies of a letter and Memorandum by Dr. BATESON WRIGHT, May Headmaster of Queen's College criticising certain points in the report, with which 230-29th the criticisms should be considered. His despatch No. 179 of the 8th of May encloses copy of correspondence as to the Kowloon School to which reference will be made later on. His despatch No. 180 of the 8th of May encloses copy of cor- respondence with the Bishop of Victoria as to His Lordship's retirement from the Education Committee. The Bishop has been good enough to communicate his views to this Office personally and in writing.

May.

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His despatch No. 182* of the 8th May reports that the establishment of a Government School for European children in the Colony will not make it possible to dispense with the existing "Military School. This despatch requires no further

comment.

His despatch No. 183 of the 8th of May submits the draft estimates of expend- iture under the head of Education for next year, which estimates have been framed by Mr. IRVING, the Inspector of Schools, on the assumption that the recommenda- tions of the Education Committee will be accepted. I have informed Sir W. GASCOIGNE by telegram of the 13th instant in answer to his telegram of the 5th instant that a lump vote may be placed on the Estimates to cover all or some of the proposed increases, but that I am not yet prepared to sanction the Estimates, being not yet satisfied how far the conclusions of the report can be accepted.

Lastly Sir W. GASCOIGNE'S despatch No. 230* of the 29th of May refers briefly to the question of High Schools for teaching English to Chinese of the better classes and promises a further despatch on the subject which has not yet been received.

3. Advantage was taken of your presence in this country to consult you as to this difficult matter of Education. The Bishop of Victoria and Mr. IRVING were consulted: and I further thought it advisable to ask Sir C. C. SMITH to read through the papers and to give an opinion on them, based on his past long ex- perience of Hongkong and of the Chinese. I enclose a copy of a Memorandum* which he has been good enough to write, but which is not intended for publica- tion

4. The thanks of the Government are due to the Commissioners for their care- ful and comprehensive report. If I hesitate to accept their conclusions en masse, it is because I desire to form a correct estimate as to what would be the probable result of adopting them, and how far that result would commend itself to you and In other words, I wish to be clear and I am not clear at present-as to what principle or principles are advocated by the report as to the future basis of Education in Hongkong.

to me.

* Not printed.