7
ि
ت
Training Instructors which has already been approved by the S. of S. (see 54067/40) appears in the Estimates this year.
Head 11.A. Harbour Dept. Expenditure under this Head has been reduced by some 8603,000 by the deletion from the Estimates of provision for a ne. lighthouse tender.
Head 11.B. Air Services. The demands being made on the airport are reflected by an increase in staff.
Head 12. Imports and Exports Office. Sub-head 32. The maintenance in Hong Kong of the restrictions imposed on traffic to China as a result of the Burma Road Agreement has involved extra funds to meet the salaries of additional temporary Revenue Officers and other necessary measures.
Head 16. Medical Dept. There is a general increase under this Head. Provision as appearing for the 15 month period ending 31st March last was $3,600, approx. For the succeeding 12 months the provision made is $4,800,000 approx. Attention might be drawn to the following sub-heads.
(a) 25. Provision of $20,000 for preventive measures against infectious disease. This is twice the figure previously provided.
(b) 28. An increase of $9,000 in the provision for relief of overcrowding in Chinese hospitals.
(c) 53. An increase of nearly $9,000 in the sum provided for anti-malarial field work. Item 65 makes provision for furniture, bedding etc. for the tuberculosis wards which it was proposed to erect on the roof of the Queen Mary Hospital. Although funds for this purpose have been struck out of the Estimates the question will be kept under review in the coming year if the financial position admits. In the meantime considerable savings have been made by the deletion from the Estimates of $400,000 for the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Kowloon. It was felt that this was "neither the time nor the place" to proceed with this project, the importance of which in general to medical services in the Colony is fully recognised, Having
regard to the political situation in the Far East at present one is reluctantly compelled to agree with that view. Under sub-head 78 it will be seen that continued provision is made on a large scale for subvention to the Tung Wah Hospitals, and under Personal Emoluments two further tutor sisters have been appointed for the training of probationers in these hospitals. In the Department generally provision is made for increases in staff, one of these is for the post of Surgical Specialist which has already been approved. Others are for Chinese Ophthalmic Surgeon and a Chinese Dental Inspector, as well as increases in the nursing staff.
Head 17. Miscellaneous Services. Sub-head 14. Contribution to 1.3.C. and I.S.C. has been cut down temporarily to one-tenth of its previous figure. Subhead 24. The provision for assistance to the University has been increased to $455,000 in order to make up for the losses which the University has experienced on its investments in Shanghai. Sub-head 28. A provisional sum of $60,000 has been provided for the maintenance of interned Chinese soldiers. As it has now been decided that the
Colony
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.