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experience gained in working since November, 1937, but although provision is made for the additional staff as from January, 1939, no appointments will be made unless warranted by conditions in January.
HEAD 14. LEGAL DEPARTMENTS.
67. As has already been stated Legal Departments in the Supreme Court haye been combined under one head for convenience in accounting.
HEAD 15. MAGISTRACY, Hong Kong.
Personal Emoluments,
68. Owing to the opening of the third court provision has been made for the salary of an additional Cadet Officer Class II who will also perform the duties of First Clerk. The former first clerk has been transferred to Kowloon.
HEAD 16. MAGISTRACY, KOWLOON.
69. Increase of work in this Magistracy has necessitated the appointment of a Senior Clerical and Accounting Staff officer as first clerk to supervise the work of the clerical staff. An additional Junior Clerk and a messenger have also been provided.
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the appointment of two additional European Medical Officers. The existing staff of Medical Officers is seriously inadequate especially in view of the great increase of work which has resulted from the opening of the Queen Mary Hospital. During the past four years the medical staff of Government hospitals has remained unchanged while a comparison of figures for the years 1935 and 1937 reveals an increase of 41% in the number of in-patients and 27% in the number of out-patients treated in these hospitals.
77. It has been considered desirable to improve the prospects of promotion of the cadre of Chinese Medical and Health Officers by the creation of a senior grade with a salary scale extending to $10.800 per annum. It is proposed that, after attaining the maximum of the lower grade, à Chinese Medical Officer who has, with the approval of Government, further qualified himself by obtaining a higher degree or diploma of an approved University or Medical School should have the opportunity of proceeding to the senior grade. Provision has been included for the promotion of one Medical Officer in this section and of one Health Officer in the Health Division.
78. The appointment of a second X-ray sister is necessitated by the main- tenance of X-ray therapy departments on both sides of the harbour while in the Dis- pensary section provision has been made for an additional Assistant Apothecary to cope with additional work consequent upon the introduction of the new Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.
HEAD 17. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT,
Other Charges: General.
70. Sub-heads 18. 21. 30 and 31 all show increases due to the increased number of patients attending Government Hospitals. A comparison of figures for 1935 and 1937 shows an increase of 41% in the number of in-patients and 27% of out-patients treated in Government Hospitals and the rate of increase has been more than maintained in 1938.
71. SCB-HEAD 22.--Owing to the influx of refugees and to the consequent increase in population in 1938. the overcrowding in Chinese hospitals became so extreme that steps had to be taken to open the lower blocks of the former prison buildings at Lai Chi Kok as a relief hospital. A supplementary vote of $86,000 was taken to cover cost of conversion and running expenses for six months in 1938 and provision is now included for running expenses for the whole of 1939. Separate provision for staff is made under Personal Emoluments.
Port Health Office.
72. The increases in expenditure under these Sub-heads are due to increased use of the services of the Disinfecting and Finnigating Bureau and are offset by increases in Revenue.
Special Expenditure.
73. SUB-HEAD 61.-This item may be considered as a token figure of the same kind as the figures included under Public Works Recurrent for repair of Typhoon and Rainstorm damage. Its primary object is to provide a sum against which initial expenses may be charged and which can be supplemented if necessary,
74. SUB-HEAD 62.—To replace a very old and unsatisfactory machine. 75. SUB-HEAD 63.—The refrigerator for the Bacteriological Institute is to re- place an old kelvinator which has been in service for over 13 years, that for the Violet Peel Centre is required for storage of vaccines, lymph, etc.
Personal Emoluments.
76. The heavy increase in the Personal Emoluments of this Head is due partly to reorganization and expansion of medical activities and partly to the need for more staff to cope with the ever increasing pressure of work in established branches of the department. In the Hospitals division provision has been made for
Health Division.
79. As a first step towards the reorganization and expansion of the Health Division provision has been made for the engagement of a Deputy Director of Health Services, two additional European Health Officers and two additional Chinese Health Officers. The directive post, which has received the approval of the Finance Committee and of the Secretary of State, is essential for the co-ordination and direc- tion of the manifold activities which should be prosecuted by the Health Authorities of this Colony. It is impossible for the Director of Medical Services to administer his department, to superintend the hospital services and to devise a long-range health policy unless he has a deputy who can not only oversee routine health duties but can also work out schemes for housing and town planning, infant welfare, anti-tuber- culosis work and similar health problems. The need for this officer is particularly urgent having regard to existing conditions in the Colony. The additional executive posts are also urgently required. The present staff is inadequate and it is hoped that the provision of these additional officers will enable a start to be made on the solution of many problems which have hitherto lacked attention solely owing to lack of staff. Consequential additions have been made to the Junior Clerical Establishment of this division.
80. Under Schcol Hygiene provision has been made for a sanitary inspector who will relieve the Medical Officer for Schools of a considerable amount of routine inspection work.
Port Health.
81. At present there is only one Port Health Inspector who is in charge of ship fumigation, quarantine of emigrants, etc. The work warrants the employment of two men and an additional post is included accordingly,
82. It is considered desirable to retain temporarily the services of 24 additional Public Vaccinators who were engaged to combat the small-pox epidemic of 1937-1938.
New Territories.
83. To implement regulations made under the New Territories Regulation Amendment Ordinance, 1938, provision has been made for a health staff of three Chinese Sanitary Inspectors, three Foremen and 19 Scavenging coolies, for work in the villages of the New Territories.
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