593
DISTRICT WATCHMEN.
A full statement of the Revenue and Expenditure for the year is given in Table VI 4, and the state of the Force on the 31st December, and other particulars will be found in Table VI B. The District Watchmen were instrumental in bringing 175 cases before the Police Magistrate, and the Committee is again indebted to the Chinese newspapers-the Tsun Wan Yat Po and the Wai San Yat Po-for continuing to publish weekly lists of these cases for the information of subscribers.
The contributions to the Fund for the year were $12,647.96, as compared with $10,598.29 in 1900. The expenditure was $12,697.44, as compared with $12,804.12 in the preceding year. The balance to the credit of the Fund on the 31st December was $6,970.71.
Although the pay of the District Watchmen was increased in 1897, it is found that the present rate of pay is insufficient to attract or retain the services of good men. In a Force of 70 men there were 8 dismissals and 11 resignations in the year.
A contract has been entered into for the building of the Central Watch-house on the Taipingshan Resumption Area at a cost of $12,000; the building is to be completed by the 31st July next.
Three vacancies in the District Watchmen Committee have been caused by the resignation of Mr. WEI A YUK, and the deaths of Mr. Ir CHUK-KAI and Mr. TSOI Tsz-MEI, all three members of the Committee since its foundation in 1891. The vacancies have been filled by the appointment of Mr. CHAU TUNG-SHANG. VÍT, U Hor-CHAU and Mr. LAU CHỦ-PÁN.
CHINESE RECREATION GROUND.
A statement of Revenue and Expenditure is given in Table VII. The total expenditure for the year is $1,416.17. This includes a sum of $756.55 which had to be spent on repairing the buildings and seats damaged by the typhoon of November, 1900. A revenue of $1,090.52 was obtained froin the rent of shops, letter-writers' tables, &c. There is a balance of $2,993.64 to the credit of the Fund.
CHARITABLE FUNDS.
Tables VIII and IX give statements of account of the two Funds administered by this Office. The calls upon the charity of the Registrar General are very numerous and these funds are employed by him to meet them as far as possible.
TUNG WA HOSPITAL.
During the year a subscription of $40,000 was raised towards the cost of erecting a Branch Hospital for the treatment of contagious diseases at Kennedytown. The foundation stone was laid by His Excellency the Governor on the 18th November.
The financial position of the hospital is now receiving the serious attention of the Chinese. For some years the expenditure has exceeded the ordinary revenue and it is generally recognised that the time has come to re-establish the hospital on a sound financial basis.
Subjoined is a Table shewing the number of patients admitted for treatment and the number of out-patients for each of the last eleven years. Whilst the number of in-patients has increased by 24 per cent., the number of out-patients has decreased by as much as 47 per cent. Attention was drawn to the decrease in the number of out-patients in the Departmental Annual Report for 1898 and the causes to which the Directors of the hospital attributed it, were mentioned :—
Year.
l'alients admitted.
Out-patients.
1891,
.2,514
150,594
1892.
..2,454
229,471
1893,
.2,857
135,608
1894,
..2,354
124,094
1895,
..2,732
163,292
1896,
.2,041
129,695
1897.
.2,764
116,626
;
1898,
.2,898
90,880
1899,
.2,542
90,082
1900,
.2,981
94,755,
1901,
.....3,116
79,842
LEGISLATION.
The following are the Ordinances passed in 1901 which more particularly affect the Chinese and this Office :-
No. 20 of 1901.-Gunpowder and Fireworks Ordinance.
No. 30 of 1901.-Buildings Amendment Ordinance.
No. 37 of 1901.-Chinese Emigration Amendment Ordinance.
By Ordinance No. 20 of 1901 the manufacture of gunpowder and fireworks can only be carried on under licence.