At the meeting of the Municipal Watch Committee held on October 7, the question of an alternative site for the Municipal Reformatory again came up for discussion, The Chairman <Brig-Gen. E. B. Macnaghten) had suggested a revision and asked for departmental sugges tions at a previous meeting. A recommendation by the Commissioner of Public Works that the surplus land outside the new Eastern boundary wall of the Gaol should be laid out as a recreation ground for warders next Spring and that the question of a new reformatory be left abeyance pending definition by the Chinese authorities of the status. of these institutions was endorsed by the Extra-Commissioner' of Police.
Upon the Chairman enquiring whether the anticipated administrative difficulties could be overcome by an increase in the required staff, the Extra-Commissioner of Police stated that his objection to the Hungjao Road as based primarily on supervisory difieulties. He added that the question as to whether ultimately the Reformatory should continue to be administered by the Gaol staff or under independent control was stil in abeyance.
The Chairman was strongly of the opinion that from all points of view the retention of control of the Reformatory by the police was desirable and, on the ground tha: land values in the Hungjao Road vicinity were correspondingly less than in the Eastern district; which would enable additional recreation space to be provided, he was f2- vourably inclined towards its ereetion on that-site. His suggestion that before recording a definite recommendation on this subject the Commissioner of Police be asked to report further as to whether in the event of the Hungjao Road site being utilized for this purpose some means could not be found to overcome the anticipated difficulties as regards the supervision of this Institution, was unanimously adopted.
Upon the Secretary recalling that the Council had already given pre-;
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.