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439. Altogether, 112,501 lbs. of UNICEF, milk were distributed to welfare organizations throughout the Colony and the total number of supplementary meals given at feeding centres was 1,200,019, an increase of 103,420 over the previous year. An examination of the milk distribution system was carried out during the year by an auditor from the United States who reported favourably on the working of the system.

AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE

440. Recruitment to the Auxiliary Medical Service was started in October 1950 under the provisions of the Essential Services Corps Ordinance 1950. The aim of the service is to train and maintain a corps of men and women who are available to greatly augment the hospital and ambulance services during an emergency.

441. Up to June 1961 those joining the Auxiliary Medical Service were both volunteers and conscripted members. On the abolition of conscription in that month, only 780 out of 2.075 conscripted members requested to be released from further service. However, as a result of subsequent successful recruiting campaigns the loss of members through the release of those conscripted has been more than balanced by the volunteers recruited and the strength of the Service at 31st March, 1962, stood at over 4,600 men and women.

442. The Medical Defence Staff Officer is responsible for all routine administration and training activities and the Director of Medical and Health Services is the Unit Controller. During an emergency the ambulance and first-aid sections of the service come under the opera- tional control of the Civil Aid Services.

443. Three sub-units were active in the New Territories at Tai Po. Tsuen Wan, and Cheung Chau and a fourth sub-unil was formed during the year at Sha Tin, Demonstrations were given, during the Kai Fong Welfare Association's "Traffic Safety Week', in first-aid and in improvi- sation when medical equipment is not immediately available. Joint demonstrations were also given by the Civil Aid Services and the Auxiliary Medical Service to medical officers and Kai Fong officials in the rescue, first-aid and evacuation of casualties,

444. Co-operation with the Civil Aid Service continued to be of a high standard and during the year five combined Civil Defence Exercises were staged in Hong Kong, Kowloon and Tai Po. The use of wound-faking and acting techniques have contributed considerably to a marked degree of realism during these exercises.

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445. A further 644 members of the Auxiliary Medical Service had their blood groups determined during the year, making a total of over 4,400 members who have been blood grouped since 1960,

446. During the cholera outbreak in 1961 members of the Auxiliary Medical Service were employed on duties in the quarantine station and inoculation centres,

V. PLANNING PROGRAMME

PLANNING UNIT

447. This unit, which was established towards the end of 1959, is situated in Medical Headquarters and is staffed by a Principal Medical and Health Officer and a Senior Hospital Secretary. Its functions are:

(a) to prepare outline plans for the provision of medical and health facilities in Hong Kong in consultation with other branches of the medical services concerned;

(b) to undertake in close liaison with the Public Works Department the detailed planning of units approved by the Finance Commit- tee of the Legislative Council;

(c) to give advice and assistance to voluntary organizations and other philanthropic bodies which are co-operating with the Government in the provision of medical facilities.

448. Following upon the census taken in March 1961, the Unit prepared a programme detailing the additional hospital and clinic services which would be required during the period 1966-1972 if the provision expected to be available to the public by the middle of 1963 is to be maintained at that level in the future. These proposals are now under consideration by Government.

449. The Unit has also concerned itself with the implementation of the detailed plan covering the period 1960-1965 which was approved in principle by the Executive Council in June 1960. Draft schedules of accommodation, staff, and equipment for approved projects have been prepared and examined in consultation with the Colonial Secretariat, after which they were submitted at the appropriate time to the Public Works and Staff Increases Sub-Committees and to the Select Committee on Estimates.

450. Once approval of a new project has been given, sketch plans are checked and, providing that no amendments are considered necess- ary, authority for working drawings to commence is sought, after which

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