HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
129
each refugee to have $20, and I am doubtful whether this has been carried out very strictly recently.
THE CHAIRMAN.-The tendency at the moment is for people to go away. More people are going away than coming in. As to the people in the camps I think it is fairer to call them destitutes than refugees.
HON. MR. BOUSFIELD.-What I have in mind are the street sleepers. They are very well treated and people in Canton might have heard of this and came here.
HON. MR. LO.-I don't think that is quite right. I think the people came here because of their plight. Those in the camps are, I think, destitute refugees. I think we all agree we have every confidence in the D.M.S. that the people in the camps are not being given an easy time. But I am sorry to feel that this reduction in allowance will affect their health. The D.M.S. has done his best but I hope he will bear in mind the increase of prices on any question of further reduction. I don't think any of us will grudge them the bare maintenance of existence.
HON. MR. PEARCE.-I hope Mr. Lo does not mean that I grudge this expenditure. I am all for protecting these refugees but I do maintain that when we are asked to vote this large sum every quarter we should be informed as to how the money is being spent and what sort of supervision is provided. I have learned far more just now than I have ever learned before, and I am quite satisfied that the matter is being looked after. But we are going to be faced with increased expenditure for the next twelve months or two years and I rather consider that it is time that these refugees are asked to return to the country. I don't want to be harsh but this is my feeling. It is quite a lot of money we are spending-about a million a year.
HON. MR. LO.-That was not what I meant. What I meant was that I do not want the D.M.S. to get away with the impression that we are grudging the expenditure, when I say that consideration has to be taken of the increase of prices in the question of reduction. I do not want the D.M.S. to be discouraged in looking after the refugees.
THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SERVICES.-These reductions were only carried out after very careful consideration.
HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.-I think I can assure Mr. Lo that the refugees are very well looked after.
HON. MR. BOUSFIELD.-We have to consider the view that we may have a thin time ahead, and I think the question of work for the refugees should be considered.
30
Page 30Page 31