CO129-575-16 Tung Wah hospital 9-2-1939 - 17-11-1939 — Page 33

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

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Tung Wah Hospital Advisory Committee, three members of the Board of Directors of the Hospital Committee, the Visiting Medical Officer of Chinese Hospitals and Dispensaries and the three Medical Superintendents of the Tung Wah, Tung Wah Eastern and Kwong Wah Hospitals.

(e) Chinese herbal treatment for medical in-patients is for the present to be provided in certain specified wards in each of the hospitals to those who spontaneously ask for it.

(f) Future investments of the Tung Wah funds will be in gilt-edged securities instead of in mortgages and property.

2.-Investigations of the accounts of the hospitals have already been made during 1937 and have fully satisfied the Government of the accuracy of the accounts as submitted and of the satisfactory nature of the system of accounting, subject to certain minor improvements recommended by the Accountants who made the investigations.

3. A supplementary vote for the grant of an additional sum of $150,000, the approximate deficit for the year 1937, is being submitted at the meeting of the Finance Committee which follows. immediately the meeting of this Council. This deficit was due:-

(a) to increased expenditure due to attempts to improve

the standard of treatment,

(b) to the increased number of patients partly as a result

of the present hostilities,

(c) to reduced income from investments,

(d) to the partial drying up of the flow of subscriptions

in favour partly of the claims of war charities.

4. Under these arrangements the Government has every confidence that the valuable work done in the past for the Chinese community of the Colony by the Tung Wah and associated Hospitals will not only continue but will increase in value and that the existing co-operation between the Directors and the Government will be strengthened without any change in the fundamental characteristic of voluntary institutions supported in the main by private contribution. It is indeed hoped that the assurance of efficient administration which is afforded by the steps now taken will encourage the charitably-minded members of the community to continue and increase their support of this worthy foundation.

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