7
W
74
water supply and for improvements to the kitchens.
27.
Under the Police Force Head provision has been made for an increase of 356 constables. This further increase in the size of the Force has become necessary owing to the unsettled conditions around us and the ever increasing responsi- bilities which the Force is required to undertake as the months go by. The increase in the establishment of constables has necessitated corresponding increases in the establishment of Assistant Commissioners, Assistant Superintendents, Chief Inspectors, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, Sergeants and Corporals. This has brought the total strength of the Force to 4503 as compared with 4129 in March, 1949.
28.
As was the case last year, it has again been necessary to make provision for new equipment of various kinds and the total increase in expenditure under the head is a little under $3 million. When account is taken of cost of living allowance, this brings the total cost of the Police Force to approximately $224 million. This is a very high figure but it represents a form of insurance and the wisdom of paying such a premium is accepted by the community generally.
29.
Last year provision was made in the Estimates to enable a start to be made on quarters for the Police rank and file. This is an important factor in the question of morale and it also means that in times of emergency an adequate concentration of Police can rapidly be made. It was not possible to make much progress in this direction during the past year but everything is now ready for the work to be started in earnest. A sum of $3 million has been provided for the erection of two blocks of quarters on the old Queen's College site. In addition to the programme of new Police Stations and block houses which is being completed from loan funds, provision has also been included under Public Works Non-recurrent for the construction of a new Police Station at Sha Tau Kok where the detachment is now housed in Nissen huts. As this is in the frontier area and is a district headquarters it is considered important that a proper station should be provided. Since the Chatham Road Camp, which was erected for the accommodation of a possible influx of refugees from Shanghai, was taken over by the military authori- ties, there has been no spare accommodation which can be used in the event of an emergency ari sing. Since the re-occupation, the need for some sort of transient camp has been repeatedly felt and in an emergency a camp of this nature may be very necessary. It has therefore been decided to construct a further camp in the Chatham Road area and a sum of $1,600,000 has been included for this.
30.
The various works provided for under the Public Works Non-recurrent head have been fully explained on pages 26-30 of the Estimates Memorandum and I do not wish to over-burden this despatch by further comment. I consider it desirable, however, to invite attention to the fact that, included in these works, is a scheme for the construction of a new block of central Government offices which is expected to cost some $8,000,000. Departments are now scattered all over the city and a sum of approximately $750,000 per annum is expended in rents. The interest on the capital expenditure would amount to a great deal less than is now being paid in rents and the housing of the majority of the departments under one roof would result in considerable economies in staff and recurrent expenditure.
31. The sum of $14,326,900 has been provided under the Subvention head as compared with $134 million last year. of this $8,145,200 is paid in grants to grant-in-aid and vernacular schools while $1,550,000 goes to the University. This year, a contribution of $500,000 to the General Officer Commanding-in- Chief's fund for welfare activities among the troops has been
included.
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