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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
provision for the long-promised up-to-date Hospital is contained in the Estimates now being presented to us.
Moreover the accommodation in the Asylum, which is now grandiloquently described in the Estimates as a Mental Hospital, is most defective; the quarters being cramped and there being no proper exercise ground for the inmates.
In connexion with the Hospital we desire also to suggest that there should be two resident Doctors, and that more Chinese Probationer Nurses should be trained, if possible.
We should like to add a few remarks, on subjects cognate to the Hospital, namely, dispensaries and clinics.
In his interesting Report on Malaya, Ceylon and Java, which was presented to Parliament in December, 1928, the Right Honour- able Mr. Ormsby Gore referred to the excellent work which was being done in the Federated Malay States by travelling dispensaries, which "quite apart from their value to the sick population, have a tremendous propaganda value in inducing villagers to have recourse
Lo ulagnosis and treatment."
We note with pleasure that this principle has been recognised on a small scale in the provision of a Harbour Dispensary launch; Item No. 50 on page 48 of the Estimates. This principle might be extended with advantage to outlying districts of the New Terri- tories.
Mr. Ormsby Gore also mentions the numerous clinics which have been established in Singapore-8 for men and 3 for women— for dealing with venereal disease and the extensive instruction which is given there for combating that dread complaint. In this matter of the provision of clinics and instruction this Colony appears to be behind Singapore.
The Prison.
A few years
Our prison accommodation is very insufficient. ago, we thought that we were well on the way to better times but the fine new edifice which we had visualised crumpled like the walls of Jericho at the first trumpet-blast of financial depression, and we are left with $300,000 worth of foundations now buried under the sands of Kai Tak.
We are glad to note that the Government is providing in item 21 on page 45 for dentistry in the Gaol, and we hope that the prisoners will also receive the benefit of the services of the new dental surgeon, who is now being budgeted for, for the first time, and, in passing, we should like to be informed what are the duties of such dental surgeon and to what classes of Government Servants he is intended to give his services,
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