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Mr. Northcote, as secretary and treasurer, in- formed the company in the county dialect, of the history of the Society and its present satisfactory financial position. The report and accounts having been adopted, Mr. A. Shelton Hooper was unanimously elected president for the ensuing year; Mr. North- bote, in similar manner, was re-elected secretary, and the committee was also re-an- pointed, with the addition of Dr. W. W. Pearse.
The toast of the evening, "The County of Devon," was submitted in a felicitous speech by the Chairman, who incidentally referred to the impress of Devon on Hongkong as exhibited in the nomenclature of streets and residences, such as Bowrington, Leigh Tor, Haytor, Bicton, Linton, Budleigh, Rougemont, Dart. moor and others. Mr. Hooper referred with regret to the absence of Mr. Mitobell, the retiring president, who left for home that day in indifferent health; and he expressed on behalf of the Society a hope for a pleasant voyage and a beneficial sojourn at home. The toast was received with the usual enthusiasm, and Mr. F. A. Hazeland responded.
The health of the "Hon. Secretary and Treasurer," proposed by Dr. W. W. Pearse, was most cordially toasted, and Mr. Northcote humorously acknowledged the compliment, and proposed "The Visitors" coupling with it the name of Mr. G. E. Morrell. The remaining toast was that of "The Ladies," which was proposed by Mr. B. A. Hale, and responded to by Mr. R. Hanoook.
The toast list was interspersed with songs and Devonshire stories, Messrs. Woodgates, Gold- ring, Northcote, Hale and Jacks, obliging in this direction. During the evening Captain Austen, R N. R., extended an invitation to the members of the Society, their wives, or sweethearts, to take a trip on his steamer, the Wingchai, to Macao, on any day the Committee would appoint. The thanks of the Society were tendered to Capt. Austen for the offer, which was left in the hands of the Committes, as was also a suggestion that more frequent meetings of the Society should be held.
VICTORIA SCHOOL PRIZE DİSTRIBUTION.
Mr. E. A. Irving, Inspector of Schools, presided at the annual prize distribution of Victoria School on the 12th April. Pro- ceedings opening with a musical programme which proved very entertaining, the items eliciting much applause from those present. The programme contained the chorus "Forth to the Battle;" recitation, "When I keep a school-a little child's notion;" action song, The Seven Sparrows;" a' display of physical drill; chorus," "Sunny Hours ; recitation, "The Infant Orator; action song, "Robin; and the oborns, “Rule Britannia."
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[April 16, 1906.
in justice to the pupils who presented them board to himself (laughter). Regarding selves for this examination it should be pointeding, he thought he could my with out that they were imperfectly prepared, having fidence that the Victoria Babool was the received six weeks' tuition "only; that the prettiest in the Colony and as far as outward average age of the pupils was only 12, equipment went left very little to be desired, as and not having received any preliminary But a school wanted children. At first, it seemed instruction they were not mentally fit for the at if the attendance would not be an large se study of the advanced course; they were entered expected, but this year Mr. Williams said under pressure from the Inspector of Schools, the number touched 60, while 55 were actually who, on learning that there were not enough present during March. At that rate of pupils to form a team for the competition in progress they had every reason to hope the elementary course requested me to send them the number would equal that of the Kowloon n for the advanced course rather than that at school. The Kowloon school was to specialise Government school should be altogether the education of girls and Victoria School the unrepresented at the examination. We may, education of boys, which the speaker considered however, look forward to better results text the most satisfactory arrangement, because the December, as the subject is now regularly and education of boys must be somewhat different. systematically taught, and I have added the The little girls in this school were well discip elementary principles of physiology and firs, lined and were getting on very well with their aid to the syllabus, as these branches of hygiene studies. Since he saw them drilling with dolle, appeal to English children. Last year being the which they did very well, he hoped when they Nelson Centenary the upper school pupils received went home they would ask their mothers to lend --- a special course of lessons upon the growth of them the baby (laughter). It only remained the Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries. for him to congratulate Mr. Williams on the On Victoria Day, May 24, the children flourishing condition of the school and to thank assembled at school and an address was given the ladies and gentlemen present for turning by me reviewing the obief events during the up in such numbers. He hoped that next year reign of Queen Victoria, after which the the half of Hongkong would be present at the National Anthem was sung and a holiday prize-giving (applause). granted for the rest of the day. During the X'mas holidays the upper school pupils contributed essays for the Lord Meath Empire Bay Essay Competition, 19 6; five of the essays were authorized by the Inspector of Schools for despatch to the Federal Council. The results of this competition are expected shortly. It has been arranged to celebr.te Victoria Day this year by carrying out Lord Meath's suggested programme for Empire Day, and His Excellency the Governor has kindly consented to preside at a joint celebration by the scholars of the Kowloon and Victoria schools at the Victoria, School. In response to a letter which I sent to parents in April subscriptions were sent to the Sohool Sports Fund to cover the expenses for the supply of materials for cricket, football, and other games. The boys take a keen interest in their games, at least one match a week has been played, and several fixtures in both cricket and football have been arranged for this year. I attach much importance to organized school games, and all boys are compelled to take part in some sport unless parents for a valid reason expressly desire otherwise.
The following is the prize list:-Infant Class.-Ada Dickso, Anna Ogilvie, Mary Mercer, Ernest Wilkinson and Roy Tatam. Standard I.-Norman Robertson, George Rodger, Frieda Schonfelder, Edgar Davey, Kathleen Jackson. Standard II.—John Rodger, Jessie Rodger, Jessie Stokes and Queenie Tatam. Standard III.-Ivan Gibson, George Baker, Kathleen Course, Jessie McNeill and
Irene Maxfield.
At the call of Mr. Williams, the children signified their appreciation of Mr. Irving's kindness in attending to distribu's the prizes by three ringing cheers. They then ing the National Anthem, which
terminated the proceedings.
CANTON.
(FROM OUL CORRESPONDENT.).
April 5th. FLOWER BOATS, The local authorities have decided to authorize the large flower boits to take up their form r woorings at the west of Daton Folly. Tuo Flower Boats Association has agreed to pay a : royalty of 820,000 per sunum for the privilege. The boats will all be painted white, and will take ap their new anchorage on the 9th inst. This addition to the revenue will be devoted to the maintenance and improvement of the water police.
ANCESTOR WORSHIP
To-morrow is the Ching-ming festival, and enormous crowds of people will wend their way to the neighbouring hills to pay the customary respects to the remains of their ancestors. Accidents have frequently occurred owing to the overcrowding of passenger boats and the Commissioner of Customs has issued a spocial notice to passenger boats and junk owners to comply with the regulations and thus avoid accidents.
Mr. Irving said it gave him great pleasure in The report of the beadmaster, Mr. W H. having to distribute the prizes at this, the Williams," was, then read. The following first, meeting of the school. The foundation are extracts:-By Government Notification of the Victoria British School was laid about No. 74 of the 3rd Feb, 1905, the Victoria eighteen months ago, when a petition was sent School was opened on Monday, the 20th to H. E. the Governor asking him to start an March, 1905, for children of European all-British school on this side corresponding to parents, both boys and girls, with this the Kowloon School which was started for the restriction, that girls over 12 years of age are same purpose at the beginning of 1902. No not admitted or allowed to remain at the school. time was lost; luckily, Mr. Williams being The school is divided into an infant, a lower, here, they did not have to send home for a and an upper school. Pupils are transferred to master, and the school was started in less than the upper school on attaining the standard of seven months from the time it was asked for, knowledge equivalent to the 5th standard They were also lucky in having a building in of a public elementary school in England. which to house the school, because if they had During the last week in March, 1905, 17 had to build it would have taken much longer, pupils were admitted to the school, in July there The speaker referred to the similarity between rere 38, in December 51, and the last admission British schools in Hongkong and the cuckoo, umber was 60-pupils have left the school, to remarking that they took over buildings employment, to return to England and to intended for other purposes. For instance to other schools. While the average attend-when it was decided to start a British school at has thus trebled itself in twelve months, Kowloon they had no building, but there was pleased to report that the pupils themselves a very fine building erected by a Chinese attended school regularly and in the gentleman which place Kowloon saw would gate have put in over 90 per cent, of the suit very well, so took it. Following this
precedent it was left to him to suggest building for this school, and he decided that the present building would be about the best. It was a little Chinese school containing one master and one scholar, and he thought they ought sometimes to sympathies with that: Chinese boy, who no longer enjoyed the privilege of a whole school, a schoolmaster and a black-
ents thus
total possible
ible number of attendances. When their children regularly justice is done to the children, to their schers, and to the school. A beginning in was unavoidably delayed till November. Eight pupils of the upper school took the Government examination in the advanced stage alts of which were not satisfactory, but
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MORE NEW OURRENOT.
The Board of Finance in Peking has sent a dispatch to Viceroy Shum stating that the new stamps for ooining the one tael-five mace, an'i the one mace silver coins will be sent very soon to allow him to issue new Kwangtung Province.
currency.
HARD TO ENFORCE,
100
In order to prevent fraud, the Imperial Post Office here has issued a notification requesting the public to declare the real value discovered that jadestone has been declared at of articles sent by parcels post. It has been considerably under its true value.
STEAM LINE DISCOURAGED. Two merchants named To Shan-nam and To ̈ Bik-fung have petitioned the Sin-Hau Kak to obtain permission to run a line of steamers between Lui-chow and Macao. The petitioners offered to pay $2,000 a year for eight years plus a royalty of $160,000 for the privilege. The petition has been refused, as the authorities trade. are suspicious concerning the object of the
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KWANGIUNG‘SOLDIERY.
Viceroy Shum has deputed Woo Hoi-wan prefect, to proceed to Japan to study and report on the organimation of the d Army. The Artillery. Infantry and corps of Kwangtung have been increas the arrival of 5,024 recruita:
OIL JUNK BURKED,
with kerosene was sailing
Yesterday at about 3 p.m. a jus
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