J 5
GENERAL.
19. In accordance with the practice obtaining in England the Registrar-General of Births and Deaths decided in the course of the year to allow no "late" registration of birth more than seven years after the event. On the District Officer representing to him that registration had in the New Territories been compulsory for much less than seven years he allowed a few months' grace before applying the new rule to the New Territories. Consequently the Assistant Registrars (the Officers in Charge of Police Stations) received about three hundred and fifty applications, all of which had to be passed by the District Officer before submission to the Registrar-General.
20. As will have been gathered from the remarks under "Land and Agriculture" above, the people of the District enjoyed in 1938 unusual prosperity, which was not altogether counterbalanced by the necessity of harbouring refugee relatives or friends, and which resulted in a decrease in unemployment.
21. As regards health, also, conditions were much better than they might have been. At the Lin Ma Hang mine malaria was again very troublesome. The work done by St. John Ambulance was most beneficial.
22. In the course of the year the Department issued and distributed, notices on a large scale (600 copies) as follows:
drawing attention to the Registrar-General's decision regarding late registration of births;
drawing attention to the necessity of registering adopted daughters; and
drawing attention to the desirability of planting as much vegetables as possible, and to the profits to be expected from their sale.
23. In the course of the year legislation was passed applying certain sections of the Buildings Ordinance, dealing with dangerous buildings and a magistrate's power to order their closure, to the New Territories. Also, the New Territories Regulation Ordinance was amended to empower the Governor in Council to make rules "for the prevention and abatement of nuisances and the making of orders by magistrates in connexion therewith and also for any matter with regard to which the Urban Council may for the time being have power to make by-laws under the Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance, 1935, and the Building Ordinance, 1935, to take effect elsewhere within the Colony.' Later, rules were duly made; and certain sections of the Public Health (Sanitation) Ordinance were made applicable to the New Territories, giving any Health Officer, or officer duly authorised by him, power of entry to search for infectious disease. This was a prelude to the appointment this year of Chinese Sanitary Inspectors to work in the New Territories.
"Women and Girls" and "Miscellaneous" cases were as follows:
24.
1937 1938 Women and Girls 48; 65; Miscellaneous 19; 27.Mr. R. Edwards acted as District Officer from the 5th of June to the 10th of July.
26. The customary annual tribute to the gentlemen of the Heung Yi Kuk is here paid in all sincerity: they are very steady, and their common sense is remarkable.
31st of March, 1939.
J. BARROW,
District Officer, North.