Estimates-1963 — Page 244

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Under Special Expenditure the provisions for furniture for Government buildings and quarters and for office equipment show reductions of $200,000 and $75,000 respectively.

The provisions included under Subheads 12 and 14 cover the supply of additional require- ments in existing premises and in new buildings costing up to $100,000. Provisions for furniture and office equipment in new buildings costing more than $100,000 are included under the appropriate Public Works Non-Recurrent Subheads.

HEAD 74 — SUBVENTIONS: SOCIAL WELFARE

Estimate 1962-63

Revised estimate 1961-62

Approved estimate 1961-62

$4,368,200

3,623,000

4,108,800

3,432,337

Actual expenditure 1960-61

Recurrent subventions to the following welfare organizations have been increased by the amounts shown in brackets :-

Shanghai Street Children's Centre ($55,000) to purchase rations hitherto provided by the Social Welfare Department and to cover increased expenses arising from improved terms of service and enlarged new Centre; Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association ($50,500) to meet increments and salaries for new staff; Hong Kong Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society ($50,000) to cover increased cash assistance to prisoners and salaries of additional staff; Hong Kong Sea School ($35,000) to meet the cost of an improved diet; St. Christopher's Home ($21,000) to employ a qualified Assistant Superintendent and to meet increased running costs for additional accommodation; Hong Kong Society for the Blind ($20,000) to employ a Field Secretary; Children's Playground Association ($20,000) to meet increased operating expenses; Hong Kong Council of Social Service ($15,000) to employ a well-qualified Supervisor for the Employment Assistance Scheme.

A token provision of $5,000 has been included as a new item under Recurrent Expenditure towards the expenses of a youth leaders' training course to be organized by the Federation of Youth Groups.

Items under Special Expenditure include $67,500 for the Boy Scouts Association to meet Stage III of the camp site development, for the extension of scouting to resettlement areas (revote) and for part payment for tents and motor junk; $21,000 for the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association to equip three new libraries; $20,000 for the Hong Kong School for the Deaf as a contribution towards the construction costs of a sick room and $12,000 for the Good Shepherd Sisters as net cost of a new van in place of an old station wagon for Pelletier Hall.

HEAD 75 — SUBVENTIONS: MEDICAL

Estimate 1962-63

Revised estimate 1961-62

Approved estimate 1961-62

Actual expenditure 1960-61

$27,792,900

24,615,000

25,247,200

21,910,889

$21,719,500 is provided for recurrent subventions which is $2,351,300 over the previous year's estimate. The principal increases are: Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital-$430,000, to meet the increased cost of the medical and nursing staff necessary to improve facilities; Grantham Hospital-$350,400, for maintaining an additional 48 Government sponsored beds; Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association— $100,000, to provide for expansion of work at the Ruttonjee Sanatorium and at the Association's Headquarters; Pok Oi Hospital-$100,000, in consequence of the additional 50 beds made available since the opening of the new wing; Tung Wah and Associated Hospitals-$1,100,000, in consequence of an additional 314 beds.

Under Special Expenditure the total provision is $6,073,400, an increase of $194,400 over the previous year's figure. The Mission to Lepers, Hong Kong Auxiliary, is given a special grant of $100,000 for the improvement of the water supply at Hei Ling Chau and $539,000 is provided for the Tung Wah and Associated Hospitals for improvements and extensions to existing buildings.