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The plague return for the week ending 20th instant places the total cases at three, two of which proved fatal. The return of other communicable diseases for the same period shows one case of diphtheria, two of enteric fever and an imported case of small-pox.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
On Feb. 19 Vice-Admiral Perrin, of the French cruiser DEntrecasteaux paid an official visit to H.E. the Governor at Government House and His Excellency returned the compliment later in the day by going on board the cruiser. He received a salute of fifteen guns, and the band played the National nthem.
Acting Inspector Watt placed a lukong on the charge sheet at the Magistracy on Feb. 26. The lukong apparently arrested a coolie for being a rogue and a vagabond and proceeded to maltreat him: Inspector Watt came on the scene and stopped him. The lukong was ordered to pay a fine of $25.
Private Robinson, of E Company, the Buffs, was brought before the Magistrate on
Feb. 26 and remanded on a charge of gambling in a passage at the Race ourse, He was also charged with disorderly behaviour. The case was remanded. The defendant was playing, it is alleged, the game known as crown and anchor. The Local Representative of the National Children's Home, London, begs to acknowledge, with many thanks, the receipt of the following
sums :-
Wesleyan Church, Hongkong Collected by Miss E. Baker Yule-Tide Quartette: Part proceeds
of carolling
The concert
$32.00 $30.35
$64.75
The concert given by the Choir of St. John's Cathedral on behalf of the organ fund was re- peated in presence of a good house last night in the City all. The programe was practically the same
as before but unfortunately Miss Brotherton Harker was unable to fulfil her engagement.
was thoroughly enjoyed.
A summary case in which Man Lee Chan and Co. are suing the International Banking or poration for the recovery of $840 said to be payable under a bank draft, was to have been heard before Mr. Justice Gompertz at the Supreme Court on the 24th ult. As a previous case, however, would take the greater part of the afternoon, his Lordship adjourned the hearing until Monday,
His Excellency the Governor has written to Mr. M. S. Northeate, the Honorary Secretary of the Hongkong Devonian Society, acknowledg ing the kind and sympathetic resolution passed by his fellow Derouians at the annual meeting on Saturday, and His Excellency adds that both Lady Lugard and himself are deeply sensible of and grateful for the large sympathy and kind feeling which has been so constantly expressed during her ladyship's dangerous
illness.
A very enjoyable evening was spent by those who attended the quadrille party given by the Royal rtillery Sergeants Games Club at the Mess, Victoria Barrracks, on Tuesday night. The decorations, which were the work of an
energetic committee, were superb, while the minor details which tend to make a function of this kind a success, had not been overlooked There was a large attandance, which included a number of rtillery officers, and there can be no doubt that all enjoyed themselves immensely. Company Sergeant-Major Owen acted as M.C., and dancing continued merrily until the early hours of morning.
A gasfitter who was sent to a house to remove certain fittings at the request of the occupier did not produce his authority from the Gas Company, but instead showed his certificate as a gasfitter. This somehow roused the suspicion of the in ates who thought the man had come with the intention of stealing the fittings and they decided to retain him pending tho arrival of the police. The gasfitter resented this and when they would not let him go he used his
hammer and knocked one of the men into the side channel. The latter rising quickly determined to pay off the injury and gave the gasfitter more than he desired, so that when both men appeared before Mr. Wood at the Magistracy yesterday they were considerably disfigured. Mr. Wood ordered both of them to pay a fine of ten dollars each.
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KOWLOON BRITISH SCHOOL.
PRESENTATION OF PRIZES BY H.E. THE
GOVERNOR.
His Excellency the Governor presided at the annual prize distribation of the Kowloon British School, which took place on the 26th ult. Many parents of the pupils were present and His Excellency's arrival was announced by the scholars singing a stanza of the National Anthem. The Governor was accompanied by Miss Henniker and Captain Simson, Private
geretary.
Mr. JAMES. the headmaster, in opening the -Your Excellency. As this proceedings said is the first occasion on which you have with your presence it has honoured occurred to me that you might be inter- ested in a short summary of the history of the school from its foundation. The school buildings were presonted to the Colony by Mr. Ho Tong and the foundation stone was laid by His Excelleney Sir Henry Blake on July 20, 1900. The school was formally opened by His Excel. leucy Sir William Gaseogue on April 19, 1902. The school commenced its actual work on May 5, 1902, with thirty-three European pupils of both sexes. It had been decided that only pupils of European parentage on both sides were to be admitted. Accommodation had been provided for a maximum of 80 pupils and when this maximum was reached two years later the Government opon- ed a similar school-the Victoria school-on the Hongkong side. This naturally reduced our numbers and we have never again reached our maximun. As a matter of fact the lean years which unfortunately set in, and which meant that firms were reducing the number of European officials, decreased our numbers still more, until in last September we had sunk as low as 39. Our numbers at present are again up to 70-an increase of about 50 per cent in the course of four months. I here venture to express a hope that those figures constitute a sort of barometric indication that trade is im-
[March 1, 1909.
We
improve the regularity of the attendance at Kowloon school. I am glad to be able to say that the complaint on this score has been of late years, almost, but not quite, reduced to a minimum. This school was the first in Hongkong to celebrate Empire Day. have loyally observed it ever since and have appreciated the houour conferred upon the school in past years in being invited to be the nests of His Majesty's Representative on that day. In the course of seven years 259 pupils have passed through the school. During that time there has been no serious accident among the pupils or any fatal illness while resident in the Colony. The latter fact speaks well for the healthiness of Hongkong. For many years I have applied to the Government for a play. regretful ground, but was always met with a refusal as the cost was prohibitive. In the course of the last few weeks I am glad to be able to state that, though the persistance of the In- spector of Schools and the kindness of the Vestry of St. Andrew's Church, the play-ground has become an accomplished fact. I shall bring my summary to a close by giving a list of our benefactors. In the course of its existence the school has received gifts from Mrs. C. W. Dixon, H. E. Sir William Gascoigne, Hon. Sir Paul hater, Mr. C. W. Jack, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Keswick, and the Hon. Mr. E. A. Irving. For the wherewithal to revive prizes year after year we have reliel on the generosity of those long- suffering gentlemen the Hon. Mr. Gresson, Messrs. R. Shewan, J. R. M. Smith and the Kowloon Dock Co. (Applause.)
(
was very
Mr. WOLFE, the Inspector of Schools, before reading his report, prefaced it with a few general remarks on the year's work. He stated that the school year had been a distinctly
and that there successful one,
He little adverse criticism in his report, was glad to note that in spite of an epidemic of measles last year the average attendance was only one point less than in 1907. There had been an increase of something like $300 in fees collected in spite of the fact that the attendance had fallen slightly. The standard of work had been well maintained, except in the subject of hygiene which in British schools seemed to be somewhat neglected. This subject required a little more attention than it had
received in the past. They were very much indebted to the Vestry of the Kowloon Church for allowing them to use portion of St. Andrew's ground, which adjoined the schools, as a play- ground,
The speaker could not see why re- sidouts of the Peak did not take greater advantage of this school. The cost of pupils attending this school was 10 per head, and it seemed hard that the taxpayer should have to pay this amount while so many members of the community did not take advantage of the
school.
The INSPECTOR then read his very satisfac- tory report, which was received with much The Governor was then asked to applause.
proving and that the Colony has already entered on new era of solid prosperity. The late Governor, after an exhaustive inspection of the school, was good enough to make an entry in the log book-it was not on the occasion of a prize distribution-and to say that he highly approved of what has always been the school ideal to train the girls and boys in the way best calculated to make them behave as ladies and gentlemen. The curriculum of subjects has been frequently altered as the result of experience and changed conditions. It has remained fixed for the last two years, the present Inspector of Schools being reported to have said that he had no further fault to find with it. I do not con- sider that the average pupil at this school-we have, of course, had some brilliant exceptions— is as far advanced as the average pupil of the samo age in a school at Home. I give what I consider to be the reasons for this: 1-The non-contiuuity of study. The length of a school generation here is about two
ä half years. and
Pupils join and leave during any and all months of the year. In 1908, 81 pupils attended, the greatest number present in any one day being 60. and the average number 45. 2.-The difference in are. Pupils are admitted to this school at ages varying his means that every from 5 to 17 years..
recommend to do so, because it is a most admir. teacher has to take at least two classes simul- taneously. 3.---Sickness. Pupils are kept at homeable summary of the general objects and method
often than they
of instruction in Hongkong. I was very glad by anxious parents more
to hear from you, and from the Inspector of would be in England. 4. Climate. In the
Schools, that the average attendance has in- summer the heat of the sun, typhoons and rum-
creased so very largely since last September. I ours of typhoons interfere sadly with the re-
trust that the average during the coming year gularity of the attendance. 5 It seems rather
may equal and exceed what it has been for the nusportsmanlike to mention the fifth reason— the number of birthdays. I have not yet last two years, which I am sorry to say, has been detected any pupil in the possession of more any one year, but than one birthday in
This
present the prizes.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Mr. James, Ladies and gentlemen: You have given us a very interest- ing account of the origin and history of this school, and I think I recognise it as an abridge- ment of a most admirable appendix to an article published in the Federal Magazine of August 1907 by Mr. Irving on Education in Hongkong. Those who have not read that article I would
somewhat less than it used to be before. I realise the difficulties which surround the system
at one
of education in this Colony, and which the time there Wax keen competition
Headmaster has pointed out to us: the differences in attending a record number of birthday parties and in taking a record number of in ages of the pupils: the difficultios of climate ; school days to recover
from the effects of and of typhoons and so forth; and also the the good things consumed
state of short residence of parents in the Colony. But things was so had one year that the Inspector for my own part I anticipate rapid strides in this of Schools dwelt strongly on it in his report and, Colony as soon as the railway shall be opened, as showing the interest of the Imperial Govern- and that revival of trade which we all anticipate tions, the Secretary of State wrote asking the ment in one of the least of Hongkong institu- shall take place. I think the future of Kow- loon will be assured, and I shall have to face the elsewhere, of inadequate Governor to use his personal influence to problem here, as
staff, just as we have had to discuss the
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