disposal has enabled the Medical Department to extend the hours of its main clinics in the urban area, and in most of these day and night services are now operating, the night services being from 6 p.m. till midnight.
It is remarkable to record that in spite of serious overcrowding the Colony has been free from epidemics and not a single case of any of the major diseases on the quarantine list has been recorded. The death rate is low and there is little evidence of malnutrition among any section. of the community. The medical authorities put this down largely to the steady work which has been going on in connexion with mass inoculation and vaccination and to the Colony's pure water supply.
Hong Kong's greatest medical problem remains that of combating tuberculosis. A new tuberculosis clinic was opened during the year in Kowloon and provisional plans were started for a mass B.Ċ.G. inoculation scheme aided by U.N.I.C.E.F., starting if possible in 1952. The year has also seen the beginning of a determined effort to improve medical services in the rural areas. The country hospital at Yuen Long was re-opened during the year giving facilities for Western and Chinese medical practice, the Government has taken over full charge of the hospitals at Shatin and Cheung Chau, and a small village maternity home and clinic has been opened at Silver Mine Bay with money raised by the local kaifong association.
Concurrent with the demand for more medical facilities has been the urgent need to provide more schools. Since 1947 a very consider- able number of new schools has been built and arrangements have been made in densely populated areas for existing school buildings to be used by one school during the morning and by another in the afternoon. From 1947 to 1950 the number of children attending school increased at an annual rate of 20,000; in 1951 this figure was surpassed and 25,000 more children were found places in schools.
The
Impetus to educational improvement was given by the visit in 1950 of Mr. N. G. Fisher, Chief Education Officer, Manchester, whose "Report on Government Expenditure on Education in Hong Kong" was published during 1951. Mr. Fisher stressed the need to expand primary school facilities and train more primary school teachers. second of these needs was recognized as being so urgent that the Grantham Training College, named after the Governor and intended for primary school teacher training, was established in temporary accommodation which will have to suffice until the proper college buildings are completed. These are due to be ready for occupation in 1952.
Towards the end of the year two important committees were set up, one under the chairmanship of the Principal of the Technical College
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