4.
( 52 )
(d) Suggestions for Improvement
(i)
(ii)
Doctor and small staff at TAP MUN (77221) and SAI KUNG (673106) to look after area East of SAI KUNG. Also a medical detach- ment in the SHA TIN area.
Permanent dispensary near SHEUNG SHUI village, with good supplies of vitamin and iron tablets.
(iii) Weekly VD clinic at TAI-O (215945) and CHEUNG CHAU (405895) with all necessary equipment. In this area syphilis is spreading and congenital syphilis also. At the moment there is no penicillin and very little arsenic and bismuth,
(iv)
(v)
Detachments in the North and East ask for DDT squads and sanitary experts. Also small- pox vaccination at monthly intervals in all areas without an M.O.
M.O. now staying on LAMMA puts in a strong complaint about hospital evacuation. Many hos- pital cases cannot be dealt with properly owing to shortage of beds.
Food Situation
(a) Government Rice Shops-See Appx. "C".
(b) Unit Rice Distribution-Limited free rice distributed from many points in the New Territories. The supply of free rice in all cases ran out about the end of February.
Methods of issue varied. A laborious but fair method used on LAMMA was to keep a record of the names of all people recommended by village elders. After working out a rice ration scale, the officer in charge distributed rice direct to elders, making them responsible for issue in their own villages. Sample checks afterwards revealed no irregularities.
( 53 )
(c) Quality of Last Rice Crops-Poor to bad owing to bugs and lack of rain. The crops at TUNG CHUNG (306975) were destroyed by "locusts".
(d) Scarcities.
(i) All villagers very scared by the recent cut in
Government rice ration.
(ii)
Merchants in TAI-O and CHEUNG CHAU com- plain of difficulties in getting peanut oil and
sugar.
(iii) Salt, of which there appears to be a general
shortage.
(e) Suggestions-At least one rice shop for the SOKO islands (2785) and South coast of LANTAQ-at present families have to visit CHEUNG CHAU (405895) separately to buy rice. Also one on PO TOI (665845) whose people have to visit STANLEY; and one at TAP MUN (772221), which would supply all villages in the area of LONG HARBOUR. An application for a rice shop at TAP MUN (772221) has previously been turned down by C.A.
5.
Education
(a) Schools now functioning-See Appx. “D”.
(b) Village requesting assistance to open schools-See
Appx. "E"
It will be noted that some villages request the opening of a second school where one already exists. In the case of PO TOI a Sergeant has been running the school for children from 6-10 years old with the aid of his interpreter.
In many of these cases the difficulties are formi- dable, Buildings need a good deal of repair and in some cases no school house is available yet. Many school teachers left during the Japanese occupation, so the provision of new staff is a second problem,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.