392
The contributions to the Fund for the year were $8,909.09 as compared with $8,357.76 for the preceding year. The actual expenditure was $11,510.05 as compared with $11,033.25 in 1898. The balance to the credit of the Fund is $ 7,220.05. The allowance of $2 a month, which was made to' each watchman in April, 1897, on account of the high price of rice, has been continued, in considera- tion of the increased cost of living in Hongkong.
43 applications for admission into the Force were received during the year, as compared with 69 in 1898. There are numerous applicants for each vacancy that occurs.
During the outbreak of plague in the summer months 8 District Watchmen were employed on special duty at the Tung Wa Hospital.
CHINESE RECreation Ground.
A statement of revenue and expenditure is given in Table VII. The total expenditure, for the year was $787.29, whilst the revenue obtained from the rent of the shops, letter-writers' tables, &c., was $1,209.27. There is a balance of $2,859.43 to the credit of the Fund.
CHARITABLE Funds,
Tables VIII and IX give statements of account of the two Funds administered by this Office.
TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
A new mortuary has been crected to the West of Mount Davis on a site granted by Government in the immediate proximity of the Plague Cemetery. Compensation has been granted to the Hospital to the amount of the value of the old mortuary. The temporary matsheds, erected in 1898 by the hospital for the treatment of plague cases, were in use during the whole of the summer months. The cost of repairing these matsheds was defrayed by the Government and they are now Government property. A proposal has been made by this year's Committee to erect a permanent hos- pital for infectious diseases to take the place of these matsheds, which are in many ways unsatis- factory, and it is hoped that the proposal will be carried out.
The number of patients admitted to the Hospital during the year was 2,542 as compared with 2,898 in 1898 (Table IV E). The number of out-patients was 90,082 as compared with 90,880 in 1898.
The present buildings having been found inadequate for the growing requirements of the Chi- nese Community, the Government was approached with a view to granting a site on the resumed Taipingshan area immediately opposite the present hospital. On the recommendation of His Excel- lency the Governor, the Secretary of State sanctioned the grant of a site, and Mr. Họ TUNG, Chairman of the Committee, and his colleagues at once commenced to raise the funds necessary to erect the buildings by inviting subscriptions from the community. Their efforts were so successful that in a period of three months a sum amounting in round figures to $80,000 was subscribed, the subscribers including all members of the community regardless of race and creed-an iudication that the good work carried on by the hospital is appreciated in the Colony.
On the 25th November His Excellency the Governor laid the foundation stone of the new build- ing in the presence of a large number of residents, both European and Chinese, and congratulated the Chairman and his colleagues on having succeeded in so short a time in raising such a large subscrip- tion and having brought the scheme of extension to such a successful issue. Mr. HỌ TUNG, the Chairman, made a felicitous speech on the occasion, tracing the history of the hospital and giving an interesting account of the work it has done.
CHINESE THEATRES.
During the outbreak of Plague in the summer months, the Chinese theatres were closed. This step was taken on account of the risk of infection produced by the congregation of large masses of people in such a narrow space. The lessee was indemnified by Government for the losses sustained by him through the closing of the theatres.
BROTHELS.
For several years past attention has been called in the annual report of this Department to the unsatisfactory state of affairs in the Colony resulting from a want of proper control over houses of ill-fame. Complaints from the European and Chinese community on the subject have been many and numerous. An Ordinance has now been passed, No. 31 of 1899, "The Women and Girls Amendment Ordinance," conferring upon the Registrar General and Captain Superintendent of Police powers which, it is hoped, will enable those officers to check the evils regarding which complaints have been so often made.