The Japanese representatives having been invited to explain or amplify the proposals contained in the memmorandum, Mr. Ikeda. said that the purpose of tHe memorandum was to find a remedy for conditions which were regarded as inequitable, inasmuch as the Council's ordinary and extraordinary expenditure on educa-fon, amounting to about $3,000,000 annually, provided educational assist-lance to some 6,000 Chinese boys and girls and only about 1,560 foreign children, apart from those benefitting under the grant-in-aid scheme. Tt was realized that adoption of the Japanese proposals precisely as set forth in the memorandum would constitute a reversal of the Council's educational system, which would be attended by great difficulties. The body which he represented, therefore, would mot oppose any necessary. modifications of the scheme.
The expansion of "the existing system as at present contemplated by "the Council would be in order if it could be financed without additional taxation, but as it would in any case be impossible to provide education for all those in need of it, it appeared necessary to fix a limit to the increas ing expenditure, if indeed the limit had not already been reached, and to arrange that a larger proportion of the available funds should be used for the benefit of children who did not attend municipal schools. Under present conditions a number of well-to-do people derived benefit from the! Council's expenditure on school while a large proportion of resident perhaps 90 per cent., were unable to Afford the fees for' their children's education. This year the Japanese schools provided education for about 3,600 children, and next year \the figure was likely to exceed 4000, and most of the cost fell.on the parents.
Mr. Tkeda added that further study of the Council's financial position had necessitated a change of attitude sine the memorandum was drawn up. It was realized that it would be dificult to carry out the original idea, but his Committee nevertheless strongly desired that there should be a better apportionment of available funds. He suggested that the present system changed gradually, with the object of diverting capital expenditure to the assistance of non-municipal schools by grants-in-aid, the allocation of funds to accord with proposal No. 4.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.