CO129-543-12 Loans for public work 29-3-1933 - 20-12-1933 — Page 64

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

He has informed the Council of the arrangements made with the Far East Aviation Company in regard to a Flying School, and The I trust that the two years experiment will prove a success. item to which he referred in his speech is termed "Annual Subsidy to Flying Club." It would, perhaps, be more correctly termed "Annual Subsidy to Flying School," as the payments will be made. to a large extent in consideration of flying facilities granted by the School to members of the Club.

I share the regret expressed at the necessity of postponing many desirable services connected with the Medical Department, especially in the matter of Health. At the same time I would point out that grown the provision for Medical and Sanitary Services has enormously in the past twelve years. The actual expenditure under Medical Department in the year 1922 was $371,782, while the amount provided in next year's estimate for this Department is no less than $1,745,589. The amount expended by the Sanitary Department in 1922 was $548,824, and the amount provided for 1934 is $1,179,394. These figures of course do not include Special Services performed for these departments by the Public Works Department. I do not, in quoting these figures, wish it to be thought that I grudge this increase or that I am satisfied that all is being done that is desirable. I realize that a great deal more is required, but in a colony of this size there must, for financial reasons, be some limit to the rate of progress. It is my earnest hope that I shall be able to provide in 1935 for an up-to-date Health Centre in which I trust it will be possible to arrange some co-operation with the University where I hope, by that time, to see a Chair of Health established.

Meanwile further facilities are being provided for the treatment of Venereal Disease, a new additional clinic having been opened in Kowloon some months ago. I hope that a permanent Infant Welfare Centre at Wanchai, to be built by private subscription and handed over to Government, will be completed within a few months. It is proposed to open a Centre in rented premises in Kowloon next year, and I hope to see a permanent Centre built there before long. There is no question whatever that these Centres meet an urgent and real need and do an immense amount of good.

Satisfactory progress is being made with the preparation of the site of the new Government Civil Hospital. The position of this building will render it much more easy to provide wards for tubercular cases, and provision will be made for this. Considerable extensions have been carried out to the Kowloon Hospital and provision made for an adequate Out-Patients building. With the growing population in Kowloon the necessity for this is obvious and the work cannot be longer delayed.

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