M 29
It is of interest to note that in 1931 a change varying from fifty cents on entrance to three dollars per annum was made payable by scholars attending Government schools. This fee entitles such scholars to obtain spectacles when these are prescribed at School Clinics. It also covers hospital fees for pupils admitted to hospital for operations on the tonsils and adenoids and the cost of exercises for the relief of squint. A Physical Training Supervisor was appointed in the Education Department during 1937 to organise schemes for physical training in Government and other schools.
(b) Inspection of premises.
At the request of the Education Department a number of visits were paid to premises in the urban districts in order to report on their suitability for registration. Some 614 such visits were undertaken. In many instances premises were found to be used as schools before they had been inspected or registered. Many of such schools have been found to be very overcrowded, to possess inadequate lighting and ventilation, to lack simple furniture and to be deficient in latrine accommodation, water supply and proper means of refuse disposal.
The existing legislation needs strengthening on the subject of school hygiene and it is hoped that such additions or amendments as may be necessary will be enacted during 1938. Certain additional subordinate Health staff will be required to propagate the reasonable standards which it is proposed should be adopted.
It cannot be emphasised too strongly that by far the best method of teaching hygiene to scholars is by ensuring that the school premises themselves are satisfactory from the public health standpoint.
(IV)—LABOUR CONDITIONS.
Labour conditions suffered a definite deterioration during the latter half of 1937 owing to the tens of thousands of refugees from the areas affected by the Sino-Japanese incident, many of whom were practically destitute and sought to throw themselves into the labour market. Even in normal times labour is somewhat too easily obtainable from the inexhaustible reservoir in China. This large surplus of labour was offset to a small extent by the establishing of factories by commercial interests who were no longer able to function in the troubled zones of Shanghai, Tientsin and other places in China. In addition, a number of small workshops came into existence to supply uniforms and other equipment for the armies in China.
For the most part labourers are paid on a piece-work basis. Wages vary widely, female workers in electric torch battery factories may earn as low a rate as fifteen cents per day, the normal rates for male and female labourers being from sixty to
- M 29
It is of interest to note that in 1931 a change varying from fifty cents on entrance to three dollars per annum was made payable by scholars attending Government schools. This fee entitles such scholars to obtain spectacles when these are prescribed at School Clinics. It also covers hospital fees for pupils admitted to hospital for operations on the tonsils and adenoids and the cost of exercises for the relief of squint. A Physical Training Supervisor was appointed in the Education Department during 1937 to organise schemes for physical train- ing in Government and other schools.
(b) Inspection of premises.
At the request of the Education Department a number of visits were paid to premises in the urban districts in order to report on their suitability for registration. Some 614 such visits were undertaken. In many instances premises were found to be used as schools before they had been inspected or registered. Many of such schools have been found to be very overcrowded, to possess inadequate lighting and ventilation, to lack simple furniture and to be deficient in latrine accommodation, water supply and proper means of refuse disposal.
The existing legislation needs strengthening on the subject of school hygiene and it is hoped that such additions or amend- ments as may be necessary will be enacted during 1938. Certain additional subordinate Health staff will be required to propagate the reasonable standards which it is proposed should be adopted.
It cannot be emphasised too strongly that by far the best method of teaching hygiene to scholars is by ensuring that the school premises themselves are satisfactory from the public health standpoint.
(IV)-LABOUR Conditions.
Labour conditions suffered a definite deterioration during the latter half of 1937 owing to the tens of thousands of refugees from the areas affected by the Sino-Japanese incident, many of whom were practically destitute and sought to throw themselves into the labour market. Even in nomnal times labour is some- what too easily obtainable from the inexhaustible reservoir in China. This large surplus of labour was offset to a small extent by the establishing of factories by commencial interests who were no longer able to function in the troubled zones of Shanghai, Tientsin and other places in China. In addition, a number of small workshops came into existence to supply uniforms and other equipment for the armies in China.
Y
For the most part labourers are paid on a piece-work basis. Wages vary widely, female workers in electric torch battery factories may earn as low a rate as fifteen cents per day, the normal rates for male and female labourers being from sixty to
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