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V.-PUBLIC WORKS.
The principal public works in progress during the year were the Tytam Tuk Water-Works (1st Section) commenced in March and consisting of a Storage Reservoir with a capacity of 194 million gallons, 2 sets of Engines and Pumps capable of lifting 14 million gallons a day each with 18" pipe line; the construction of a new 20-foot road to accommodate the mains of the Tytam Tuk Water-Works and improve the road communications of the Island; the Kowloon Water-Works, previously described, on which good progress was made; the New Law Courts, Harbour Office, Western Market, Bacteriological Institute, Disinfecting Station at Kowloon, Gunpowder Depôt at Green Island; the further extension of the Cattle Depot, and the foundations for the New Post Office and Government Offices. A commencement was made with Quarters for Officers at Taipo, and a Public School at Yaumati. Another Bath-house for both sexes in the western part of the Town was completed. An area in Kau U Fong, Victoria, recommended by the Sanitary Experts for resumption, was purchased by the Government at a cost of over $220,000. Good progress was made with the scheme of 100-foot thoroughfares in Kowloon, the road through the King's Park being completed and portions of several lots resumed for the extension of Robinson Road northwards. About $40,000 was spent on Nallab Training in the Colony and $20,000 on the re-construction of street gullies to improve the City drainage system. towards improving the lighting of the Harbour approaches by arranging for the A beginning was made transfer of the 1st order light at Cape D'Aguilar to a new Tower on Green Island. Reclamation was undertaken at Tai-kok-tsui, in conjunction with a private owner, by which that locality will be much improved. New Rifle Ranges near Kowloon were constructed by the Military Authorities at the expense of the Colony. The laying of a heavy specially wound cable for telephonic purpose across the Harbour was successfully undertaken during the year. The work of laying Rider-Mains was also commenced.
The total amount expended on Public Works Extraordinary, exclusive of the Praya East Reclamation and Rider-Mains, was $1,264,351.30 and on works annually recurrent $532,751.85.
VI-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.
(a.) HOSPITALS.
Government Hospitals consist of the Civil Hospital to which is attached an isolated Maternity Hospital, the Victoria Hospital for Women and Children, the Kennedy Towu Infectious Diseases Hospital, and the hulk "Hygeia" used mainly for the treatment of small-pox.
The Civil Hospital contains 150 beds in 19 wards. 2,585 in-patients and 13,106 out-patients were treated during the year 1904. 223 cases of malarial fever were admitted as against 346 in 1903 and 349 in 1902. The Maternity Hospital contains 4 beds for Europeans and 4 for Asiatics. 61 confinements occurred during the year with 2 deaths. The Victoria Hospital, opened in Novem- ber, 1903, by Sir HENRY BLAKE, is situated at the Peak and contains 41 beds, During 1904, 111 patients were under treatment. Kennedy Town Hospital con- tains 26 beds in the main building. In 1904, 87 cases were treated, of which 78 were plague and 5 cholera. On the "Hygeia" 40 cases were treated, of which 32 were small-pox,
(b.) LUNATIC ASYLUM.'
The Asylum is under the direction of the Superintendent of the Government Civil Hospital. European and Chinese patients are separate, the European portion containing 8 beds in separate wards and the Chinese portion 16 beds. 166 patients of all races were treated during 1904, and there were 13 deaths.
(c.) THE TUNG WA HOSPITAL,
This Hospital, opened in 1872, is mainly supported by the voluntary subscrip tions of Chinese, but receives an annual grant of $6,000 from the Government. Only Chinese are treated in this institution which takes the place of a poor-house
and hospital for Chinese sick and destitute, and is administered by an annually- elected body of 15 Chinese directors. Chinese as well as European methods of treatment are employed in accordance with the wishes expressed by the patients or their friends. The Hospital is managed by a Committee of Chinese gentlemen annually elected, their appointment being submitted to the Governor for confirm- ation. The financial position of the Hospital was improved during the year and its title to its investments in land was secured by Ordinance.
OTHER GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS.
The Prison. Observatory, Post Office, Educational Establishments and other Government institutions are dealt with under separate heads.
VII-INSTITUTIONS NOT SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT.
Among institutions recognised and encouraged but not to any considerable extent supported by Government may be mentioned the Pó Leung Kuk, the College of Medicine for Chinese, and the City Hall.
The Pó Leung Kuk is an institution, incorporated in 1893, presided over by the Registrar-General and an annually-elected Committee of 12 Chinese gentlemen, for the protection of women and children. The inmates of the Home receive daily instruction in elementary subjects and are allowed to earn pocket-money by needle-work. During 1904, a total of 676 persons were admitted. Of these, 287 were released after enquiry, 38 were released under bond, 138 were placed in charge of their husbands, parents or relations, & were placed in charge of the Japanese Consul, 76 were sent to charitable institutions in China, 15 were sent to School, Convent or Refuge, 11 were adopted, 29 were married and 2 died. sequence of an epidemic of beri-beri during the summer the women's quarters were vacated and the inmates temporarily distributed between the Tung Wa Hospital and the Italian Convent.
In con-
The Hongkong College of Medicine for Chinese was founded in 1887, for the purpose of reaching surgery, medicine, and obstetrics to Chinese. The govern- ment of the College is vested in the Court, of which the Rector of the College, who has always been a Government official, is President. Eighty-seven students have been enrolled up to the end of 1904, and of these 19 have become qualified licentiates and have obtained various posts under Government and elsewhere. The institution is of great value in spreading a knowledge of Western medical science among the Chinese; and in addition to the employment of certain of the licentiates in the public service, the senior students have frequently been made use of for various purposes during epidemics. A Government grant-in-aid of $2,500 is made to the College, to be used as honoraria to the lecturers.
The City Hall receives an annual Grant of $1,200 from Government. It contains a Reference Library and Museum.
VIIL-ORIMINAL AND POLICE.
The total of all cases reported to the Police was 11,812, an increase of 560
or 4.97 per cent. over those reported in 1903. In the division of these cases into serious and minor offences there is a decrease in the former as compared with the previous year from 4,862 to 3,532, that is of over 27 per cent., occurring in every nature of crime with the exception of offences against women and girls.
The number of serious offences reported was 334 below the average of the quinquennial period commencing with the 1900.
year
The number of minor offences reported shows an increase of 1,890 over the number for 1903, mainly in offences against the Prepared Opium Ordinance due to a considerable rise in the price of opium and consequent surreptitious mann- facture and smuggling of the drug, and in offences against the Sanitary Bye-laws, which were more stringently enforced as the Public became better acquainted with the provisions of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance of the previous year.
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