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building of four new wards and agrees to make payment at a rate not exceeding Canton $7.00 per month for every leper sent to the Asylum for whom the Colony is prepared to accept responsibility. At present these lepers are being maintaineil by the Tung Wah Hospital on reimbursement by Government and a Supplementary Vote for $9,000 has been taken to cover this expenditure in 1938.
33. Relief of Refugees. The estimated cost of running the relief camps now under construction. for the whole year, if fully occupied and with full mainten- ance, is approximately $360,000. The sum of $150,000 is provided in the hope that it may be unnecessary to provide for the maximum expenditure.
A.
HEAD 6. DEFENCE.
VOLUNTEER DEFENCE CORPS,
34. There is a small increase in the total of Other Charges due mainly to the increase in size of the Corps. In accordance with policy which has already received the approval of the Finance Committee and the Secretary of State provision is included under Personal Emoluments for the payment of salaries and pension contributions of a Regular Commandant, Adjutant and Regimental Sergeant Major.
B. HONG KONG NAVAL VOLUNTEER FORCE.
35. The increase in Sub-heads 13 and 14 is due to the necessity for provid- ing for a considerable increase in the establishment of the Force consequent upon the creation of three new branches, Communication, Mine-watching and Examination Service and the expansion of the Accountancy branch.
C. AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS.
Training
36. Three items under Special Expenditure require explanation. stores is intended to cover expenditure on equipment required for the purposes of A block vote of training instructors and keymen in Air Raid Precautions, $250,000 has been included under the title Mobilization Stores. This is to provide for the purchase of essential stores for general use in an emergency and must be regarded as no more than a provisional first instalment. Expenditure under this head will be incurred only in accordance with the advice of the Defence Committee as approved by the Governor in Council.
37. It is proposed to recruit 4,000 persons to form a Reserve of the St. John Ambulance Brigade for service in an emergency. It is not proposed that members of this Reserve should be equipped with Brigade uniforms but armlets, haversacks and medical outfits will be provided and the scheme will entail secretarial and office expenses. The initial expense will be spread over four years but there will be some permanently recurrent charges.
Personal Emoluments.
38. It is necessary that the A.R.P.O. should have the full time services of a qualified Architect. An officer from the P.W.D. is being posted to this Department and his salary provided under this head. His place in the P.W.D. will be filled by a temporary appointment. The new posts of Storemen. Messenger, Coolies, etc., are in connection with the A.R.P. Store, provision for which is included under P.W.E.
HEAD 9.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Other Charges.
Heads 19. 20, 21. Students in training.
39. Owing to a change in the University Calendar made in 1935 five students in training who would normally have graduated in December, 1938, will not graduate till June, 1939, and additional provision has had to be made for the extra six months. This amounts to $1,275, $1.550 and $1,600, respectively, on the
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above Sub-heads. The remainder of the increases is accounted for by the provision of a special studentship in the Chinese groups of the Hong Kong University with a view to training for eventual employment in the Normal and Middle Vernacular Schools and of one studentship additional to normal (anticipated) requirements in accordance with a scheme for the gradual replacement of certain European Mis- tresses by University Trained Masters.
Grants.
40. Sub-heads 26 and 27. Grants are calculated in accordance with the Re- vised Code of Vernacular School Subsidies which was approved by the Board of Education and laid before Legislative Council on 12th May, 1938.
Special Expenditure.
41. With a view to implementing the report on Music and the Arts and Crafts recently adopted by the Board of Education provision has been included for the purchase of five pianos for use in Government Urban Schools which do not already possess this equipment. Provision is also made under Personal Emoluments for the post of a full time Music Master with experience in teaching of music and singing to school teachers and children.
SUB-HEAD 34. GYMNASTIC APPARATUS.
42. This is to provide equipment for physical training classes in Govern- ment Urban Schools for boys. The items which have all been recommended by the Physical Training Supervisor comprise such articles as vaulting horses, mats, medicine balls, ropes, etc.. the lack of which seriously limits the scope of the work which is being done.
SUB-HEAD 35.
43. Approximately 1,150) single desks are required to replace a varied collec- tion of six, four. three and two seater desks all over 25 years old. Replacement
is being spread over two years,
Personal Emoluments.
44. As it has proved impossible to obtain locally a suitable temporary Physical Training Instructor as provided in the 1938 Estimates it is proposed to obtain a qualified teacher from England as an additional Physical Training Super- visor. Besides undertaking the training of boys at the Central British School this officer will be required to assist and relieve the Supervisor in the supervision of Chinese Physical Training Instructors. Owing to the increasing demand from Grant- in-Aid Schools for instruction in physical training an additional post of Temporary Chinese Physical Training Instructor has been included.
45. There are three additions to the staff of the Trade School. The post of Assistant Instructor in Engineering is included in place of that of Senior Chinese Instructor included in 1938 Estimates. Efforts are still being made, however, to secure a candidate for the latter post and, if one can be found, the post of Assistant Instructor will not be filled. The two Apprentice Tradesmen will eventually become Chinese Assistant Instructors in Engineering. These posts were inadvertently omitted from 1938 Estimates and as recruitment was urgently necessary provision during 1938 has been made by Special Warrant.
46. Owing to expansion of Trade Classes and anticipated expansion in Vernacular Teachers Classes it has been necessary to provide $15,000 more for the payment of lecturing staff for the Evening Institute. A further $3,024 has been included for lecturers on Handwork and the Arts and Crafts to implement the report of the Board of Education already mentioned.
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