CO129-584-2 Estimates 1941-2 21-2-1941 - 11-6-1941 — Page 6

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provision under sub-head B of this Head is entirely new. It will be seen that it is proposed to establish an Experimental Agricultural Station in the New Territories to improve agricultural possibilities there and make the Colony less dependent on outside sources for its food supplies. It is proposed to appoint a European Agricultural Officer recruited from another Colony to take charge of the Experimental Station, and provision is also made for experiments on the use of nightsoil as a fertilizer.

Head 5. Charitable Services. The provisions under this Head show the strain thrown on the Colony by war refugees. Of the sub-heads provided, I would partiailarly draw attention to the increase in the grants to the Chinese Public Dispensaries and to the Po Leung Kuk. It was also proposed to establish a camp for "male juvenile offenders" as an experiment in the New Territories, and to send there boys who are not confirmed criminals instead of to the reformatory. Finally, on the revision of the Estimates, provision was made for a grant of $10,000 from the British Fund for the relief of distress in China. In this the Hong Kong Government have anticipated H.M.G. since the question of making a grant from revenue here has only just been referred to the Treasury.

Head 6. This Head deals with defence. In particular increased provision is being made for A.R.P., especially for the construction of tunnels and concrete pens for the protection of the civil population. Ne have, of course, already been informed of these (see 53871/1/41). It might also be mentioned here. that the Fire Brigade (Head 10) has been increased in strength and divided for the first time from the Police Dept., the Commissioner of Police being relieved of the post of Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade which passes to the present Superintendent.

Head 9.

Education. Expenditure here is up in the total but much of this is due to the fact that expenditure on the Teachers' Training College, which was completed in the past financial year, has now been amalgamated with other funds instead of being shown separately. Special attention might be drawn to the following provision in the Estimates:

(a) Sub-head 12. Provision for the purchase of films and slides for building up libraries.

(b) Sub-heads 27 and 28 make provision for the new subsidies for vernacular schools which was approved by the Executive Council and forwarded to the S. of 35. for consideration. Mr. Cox has not yet quite completed his study of these proposals, but they were discussed at a meeting with Mr. Birnie and Mr. Handiside at which with sehankly I was present some time ago.

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(c) Sub-head 37. Provision is made for the first instalment of Cools and apparatus for handwork which has been included in the curriculum of all Government schools in accordance with the recommendation of the Director of Education's Sub-Committee which was backed by the A.C.E.C.

(a) A Woman Inspector has been appointed to the Inspectorate staff to pay particular attention to maintaining the efficiency of teaching in girls' schools and kindergarten classes. There are also increases (3) in the numbers of University trained masters, and the new scale for Chinese Physical

Training