CO129-561-10 Estimates 1938 2-9-1937 - 23-9-1938 — Page 326

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393

The

Magistracy has risen to about 40,000 per annum, a greater number than can be dealt with satisfactorily by two Magistrates. opening of the third court will necessitate some increase in staff.

There is some increase in Police personnel.

Provision

has been made for ten additional Cantonese Sub-Inspectors

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with

a corresponding reduction in the number of European Lance Sergeants. It is too early yet to express an opinion regarding this experiment.

A sum of $5,000 has been included under subhead 60 of the Medical Department Estimates for the purchase of radium. This sum should be regarded at present as a token. An offer has been received from the Trustees of the Matilda Hospital to sell to the Government the whole or part of the Radium owned by that institution. It has however been thought advisable to defer consideration of the offer until the return from leave of the Radiologist, Dr. Farr. When his advice has been received and considered the recommendations of the Government will be brought in due course before this Council.

Head 27 D appears for the first time.

It is thought desirebl: that funds should be

available for the organization cf what would perhaps be better described as Passive Defence, that is to say the protection of the civilian popula tion in case of attack from the air or otherwise. No decision has yet been reached as to the way in which this sum will be expended.

Under Miscellaneous Srices there has been a re- distribution of grants to certain Home Institutions. A grant to the War Memorial Nursing Home appears in the Estimates for the first time, and a sum of $20,000 has been provisionally included in view of the possibility that the Pacific Scientific Congress may be held in Hong Kong in 1938.

$25,000 has been provided for