CO129-557-7 Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force- annual report 1935-6 22-6-1936 - 20-11-1936 — Page 54

3.

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taught helmsman's duties, upkeep and splicing of minesweeping gear, 4-inch gun and rifle drill, squad drill, boat work and general seamanship (including Rule of the Road and English). Six selected ratings are learning Semaphore and

11.

Morse and are showing considerable promise.

H.M.S. "Cornflower".

12.

It was not considered necessary to dock H.M.S. "Cornflower" (thus avoiding unnecessary expense), and the ship was only scraped and painted and minor defects made good by the Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company, Limited, other minor defects being made good by the ship's staff.

13.

A .22-inch miniature rifle range was fitted up on

board on receipt of the rifles from England.

Funds.

14.

The Naval Volunteer Vote (Original) was Hongkong $35,987, with a Supplementary Vote of $7,649, bringing the total Vote for the year to $43,636. The total expended amounted to $28,387, $15,249 less than had been provided for in the Estimates.

15.

This was due to a number of causes:-

New entries, both Cadets and ratings did not

come up to expectations. Promotions which it had been antici- pated would occur in December 1935 were not made until February 1936, the result of these two being a saving of approximately $5,000 under Uniform and Uniform Allowance.

Due to a number of causes, the ammunition purchased only amounted to $326.50 against an estimate of $3,195, showing a saving under this head of $2,868.50.

Provision had been made for one W/T set ($1,500) and alterations to the wardroom ($500), but expenditure under these two heads was nil, showing a saving of $2,000.

The above reductions, amounting to $9,868, account for the bulk of the sum of $15,249 underspent. The balance of approximately $5,400 underspent is represented by small savings