PLAYGROUNDS FOR COLONY
ROTARY CLUB DECISION NOT UNANIMOUS
H.K. PREHISTORY

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   The question of providing more children's playgrounds in the Colony came up for discussion at yesterday's Rotary Club luncheon, which was held in Messrs. Lane Crawford's restaurant under the chairmanship of Sir William Hornell. It was unanimously decided to maintain the two existing grounds, but a resolution for providing two more met with some dissent.
   The Chairman welcomed the following visitors.- The Rev. E.C.H.Tribbeck, Capt. Hopkins, of the s.s. Yatshing, Rotarian G.J.McCarthy and Rotarian Yinson Lee, both of Shanghai.
   The Chairman said: On August 25, the Club carried the following resolution unanimously: "That application be made to the Government for the use of Blake Gardens and an area opposite the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home on the Praya East Reclamation; that the Government be asked to enclose and level these grounds, and that tho Rotary Club equip them with games apparatus and pay the salary of a Play Director by a levy on each member of the Club, and that the Chinese Y.M.C.A. be invited to secure the Director and supervise his work."
   You will notice that the Rotary Club's undertaking to equip the playgrounds with games apparatus and pay the salary of a Play Director was not limited to any specific period. However, on writing privately, as I did, on August 26 Iast, to the Hon. Colonial Secretary. I said that the Rotary Club's guarantee to find the cost of the initial apparatus and the salaries of a Play Director and groundsmen was for a year. I added I had no doubt that if the experiment was successful, and I was sure it would be successful, that the Rotary Club would assume practically permanent responsibility for this work, which it would almost certainly try to extend.

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Plea for Boy Scouts.

   Mr. E.Cock: I would like to support Rotarian Bell and call your attention to the fact that the subscription which you are going to ask from each member is practically double that called for from any Vice President of the Boy Scouts, I feel, therefore, that we might, without rushing into this matter, consider, whether we should pay so much, and why such a great organisation as the Boy Scouts, with the tremendous opportunities it gives to boys, should not be supported also.
   Before putting the resolution to the meeting, the Chairman explained that the idea of the Community Service Committee was that members should be asked to subscribe, and there might be a number willing to contribute between $50 and $60 each so that the money could be raised quietly, without people who could only afford less being bothered at all. If the Club agreed to the resolution for providing additional playgrounds, then the matter would be proceeded with on that basis, namely asking members to subscribe and how much they were willing to give.