Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 287

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During the year particular attention has been paid by the directors to the consumption of rice and firewood. It is hoped that a secure check has been placed on the consumption of the former, and a saving in the expenditure on firewood has been made by buying it wholesale from importers. It is expected that a saving of $1,000 a year will be effected in this way.

The street lying between the new wing of the hospital and the P'o Leung Kuk has been leased to the hospital by the Government and has been enclosed. The inmates of the Po Leung Kuk are to be permitted the use of this ground, and it is proposed to plant it with trees.

The members of the Advisory Board have been consulted by me during the year on matters relating to the hospital, and their advice has proved of great value. The names of the members are :-

The Hou. Dr. Ho KAI, C.M.G.

Mr. WEI YUK.*

A

Mr. CHAN KANG-UE.

Mr. CHAN Tsz-wun.*

Mr. CHAU SIU-KI.*

Mr. Ho FoOK.

Mr. Họ TUNG.

Mr. KU FAI-SHAN.*

Mr. LAU CHU-PAK.

Mr. LAU YAM-TSÜN.

Mr. LEUNG Pui-chi.*

Mr. LI YAU-TSÜN. Mr. Ló KUN-TING.*

Mr. PUN YAN-TSÜN.

Mr. TANG LAN-KUK.*

Mr. U Hol-CHAU.

Mr. UEN LAI-TSUN.*

* Ex-Chairmen of the Board of Directors.

The

In July the hospital applied for an increase in the annual Government Grant. directors pointed out in support of their application the increased expense they had been put to in recent years in burying dead bodies from the Government Mortuaries, in maintaining the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Kennedy Town and in repatriating destitutes. Their application was granted, and an addition of $2,000 to the annual grant approved.

It has become necessary to enlarge the Hospital Cemetery at Kailungwan, and the Government Cemetery which it was proposed to open between the Hospital Cemetery and the road has been placed at the disposal of the hospital. The ground thus made available and the further extensions it is possible to make, will suffice for a number of years.

The hospital vaccinators visited Shamshuipo 8 times during the year, Shaukiwan, Aberdeen and Yaumati 6 times and Stanley twice.

Progress has been made with the scheme for providing a hospital for Chinese at Yaumati The Government proposes to grant a site containing about 2.84 acres, to give $30,000 towards the cost of the building and to make an annual grant of $6,000. At the close of the year subscriptions to the amount of $63,141 had been promised, and of this. sum $51,260 had been collected. The Chinese inhabitants of the Kowloon Peninsula are actively supporting the scheme; out of the total amount of subscriptions, $10,700 have been promised by them and they hope to raise at least $5,000 more. A public appeal is now being made to the European community and to the Chinese of Victoria.