J (1) 4
23. The Haw Par Hospital in Cheung Chau run by St. John's Ambulance Brigade and the St. John's Ambulance clinic at Tsun Wan did good service. The number of cases dealt with by the former increased by 3,000 to 37,990. Malaria, maternity, and accident cases were the commonest of the serious cases dealt with. It is difficult to exaggerate the benefit of this work to the local population.
Tai O.
24. Business conditions in Tai O depend principally on fishing and on the allied industry of boatbuilding. This year the fishing season was very good, and boatbuilding also did very well.
25. The following table gives approximately the figures of fish catches landed at Tai O.
Catch 1935 1936 Price per picul 1935 Price per picul 1936 Ma Yau 300 piculs 400 piculs $20.00 $15.00 Herring 1,100 650 $10.00 $13.00 Wong Fa 7,000 Shrimps 2,000 1,500 $12.00 $9.50 12,000 $5.00 $5.50If the proportion of catches landed at Tai O by Tai O boats had not fallen, the fishing industry would have done even better.
26. Pigs, cattle, rice and poultry did well. All of these were consumed locally.
27. Salt panning did well. The total output increased from 11,000 piculs to 13,500 piculs and the price also rose.
Lamma.
28. Conditions were uneven. Pigs and vegetables, both important, did well but cattle and poultry did badly. There was a severe epidemic of gapes among poultry.
Cheung Chau and Southern Lantau.
29. Conditions were good and a great improvement on the last two years. The fishing industry, the mainstay of Cheung Chau, did exceptionally well and shops catering to junks recovered business lost in recent years to Ping Hoi and San Mei. Catches were very large and prices good. Other items, quarries excepted, did badly but their importance is small. In Southern Lantau the rice crops were damaged by drought and typhoon.