3- JUL 19.
No. 316.
C. O. REGL
Sir,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG, 31st May, 1933.
7
6. on 92691/52
Estimates
་་
I have the honour to inform you that this Government
has had under consideration for some time a proposal for the
construction of a launch, to be fitted up as a floating
dispensary, in order that medical facilities may be available
to the very large number of Chinese living on boats and junks
in the harbour, and elsewhere in the Colony, and to villages
on the coast which are inaccessible by road. The total
floating population, as stated in the Census Report of 1931,
is in the neighbourhood of 55,000.
2.
The proposal to provide a dispensary launch was
first put forward by the Director, Medical and Sanitary
Services in 1929, and a sum of $50,000 was inserted in the
Estimates for 1930, to cover the cost of construction.
It was
the intention at that time that the launch should be used for
medical work within harbour limits only. Construction was deferred pending consideration of the possibility of sparing a Government launch for this work, and the vote lapsed.
Subsequently, as no launch could be made available, the matter
was reconsidered in connection with the Estimates for 1931,
1932, and 1933, but on each occasion was postponed, owing to
the financial situation.
3.
As you will be aware from my despatch No. 304 of the 26th May, 1933, with which I forwarded for your approval supplementary estimates of expenditure on Public Works, the
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
SI P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER, G.B.E., M.C., M.P.,
&C.,
&C.,
&c.
financial