1899 November 20 The China Mail

 

Public Gift by Sir Thomas Jackson

 

The Hong Kong correspondent of the N.C. Daily News writes: -- the City Hall is a bare, desolate, deserted, stucco structure, which in a way but longs to no one and is nobody’s care.  The City Hall committee, which represents the few remaining original shareholders and the subscribers, does its best, but its efforts are mainly confined to making both ends meet, to keeping the plaster fairly clean and sound (it is now being colour washed), and to fend off the ravages of white ants, to which the building is subject.  It ought to have been built of stone, brick, concrete, and iron, but the supports are mainly timber.  There are few temptations to residents to endow such a place with gifts, and with the exception of a ghastly looking representation in oils in St. Andrews Hall of the Duke of Edinburgh, there are no decorations on the walls of the various rooms and halls.  Sir Thomas Jackson[1] has now come forward as a donor, and has presented a large portrait of her Majesty in oils to the building.  At present it lies in the packing case, and I have not seen it, so can say nothing more about it.  There’s hardly any wall space in either St. George’s or St. Andrews Hall, I suppose a place will be found for it in the former.  At any rate that’s the most suitable place, unless it is intended for the Chamber of Commerce Room