Sessional_Paper_1903 — Page 572

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5. The Committee recommend that there should be different schools for different races, or at any rate that English children should be taught apart from others. "It is essential," they say (paragraph 16 of the report), "that the children. of British parentage be educated by themselves and not side by side with children of other nationalities or races.' and they base their recommendation upon two grounds, one, that British children in a class with others to whom English a foreign tongue, are thereby retarded in their progress: the other, that the beliefs and standards of other races are widely different from English beliefs and standards, and that, to quote the words of your despatch of 3rd September, 1901, deteriorating moral effects come from the mixture of the two races at school. Similarly they recommend (paragraph 36 of the report) that "Queen's College revert to the purpose for which it was originally intended and supply an educa- tion to Chinese only."

Dr. WRIGHT, I notice, is strongly opposed to this restriction by nationality; and, as far as Chinese boys at the Queen's College are concerned, he challenges the statement that in mixed classes they hold other boys back. The other objec- tion based on the alleged evils of association is one for parents to decide, and the utmost that Government can be expected to do in the matter is to provide or give facilities for a separate school if it is asked for by a particular section of the com- munity on reasonable grounds and with adequate backing.

It was from this point of view that I approved and was glad to approve your proposals for a school for Europeans only, and a High School for Chinese, but I am not at all prepared to accept as a general principle that education should follow the lines of race; and I cannot consent to exclude any nationality from the main school of the Colony -the Queen's College. Parents who do not wish to send their sons there are not compelled to do so, but if they wish to send them, knowing any real or alleged objections to such a course, they should certainly not be prevented from carrying out their wishes.

6. In his despatch No. 179 of the 8th of May, Sir W. GASCOIGNE has enclosed correspondence showing the conditions under which Mr. Ho TUNG has consented that the School at Kowloon which has been built at his expense shall be maintain- ed for children of European British parentage only and not as he had intended for children of all nationalities. I can only say that in my opinion Mr. Ho TUNG has been good enough to concede more than he might perhaps have fairly been asked to concede and the conditions upon which the concession has been made should be strictly carried out.

Mr. BELILIOS will be consulted as to whether he is prepared to allow the Belilios Reformatory in the City of Victoria to be converted into a school for British children, but I decline to press the matter upon him, inasmuch as I must confess that I do not think it a happy solution of difficulties, that the generosity of Mr. BELILIOS and Mr. Ho TUNG, intended to benefit all nationalities, should be diverted to the education of children of European British parentage alone.

Nor am I satisfied with the fate of the Reformatory. It was built to supply what was supposed to be a need. It was welcomed by the Government and much trouble was taken in selecting specially qualified masters from this country. These steps have no sooner been taken than the institution is found to be wholly super- fluous and to supply no want at all. It is impossible, in the light of this fiasco and also in the light of previous voluminous but somewhat unfruitful correspond- ence and reports on educational subjects, to feel much confidence that the position in longkong has yet been fully gauged.

You will consider whether, as there will now be no Reformatory, the Reformatory Act should not be repealed as suggested in Mr. IRVING's letter to the Governor of the 15th of April,

7. I now turn to the concluding paragraph of the report and I wish to know how far the words which I proceed to quote really represent the views of the Cominission, and if so to point out what conclusion can logically be drawn from