Favourable Report of Dr. Stampar, League of Nations Expert:
Technical Advice Dr. Stampar, League of Nations health expert, who early in the year made a study of the public health institutions in Northwest China, has now inspected the rural welfare tivities of the National Economic Council in Kiangsi Province. The report which he has submitted to the Council deals chiccly with the rural welfare centres, of which eight are already in operation and two more fare about to be opened, and with the programme for public health.
Of the welfare centres, Dr. Stampar writes as follows: "All the rural welfare centres I visited are housed in old family temples and in districts 'Of from 15,000 to 30,000 inhabitants. Each of these centres has an agricul ture. experimental station occupying 'Between 13 and 50 mow of land. 'All the centres are organized the same plan, their activities' in-eluding mass education and element tary education; improvement of agriculture; promotion of ce-operative focletles; public health, including medical treatment, maternity care, sanitary engineering and _health education; and finally encouragement of rural industry, The staff of each centre consists of two administrative officers, two doctors, one midwife four teachers, and experts for agriculture, for ce-operatives, and for home industry. The budget for each fof the centres is, on the average, '$700 a month, of which about $400 contributed by the N.EC. and the remainder by the local authorities."
Dr, Stampar then describes detail a number of the centres which the visited, The following is typical: "The Rural Wellare Centre of Tsao Tang, ina district with a population of 18,000, was opened on November 1, last, "At my visit, 750 adults were enrolled In classes for mass education. 24 Elementary Schools are under control of the Centre, the number of students being 1,165, among whom fare 200 girls. Every third day lectures are held, attended by 300 per-ons, Model Experimental Farm "The experimental farm comprises. 30 mow, dealing with the demonstration of seeds, and containing a nur-ery for reafforestation; already 50,- (000 of which are wood-all trees. In 24 villages, 96 farms have been cho-jen where farmers, under the control of the Agricultural Department] of the Centre, are being taught in, the field improved methods of farming, Instruction being given and visits made to different farms every week; 500 cattles of selected cot-have been given to 87 families.
"Thirty-seven ce-operative societies have been organized, with 1,369 members. Loans totalling $6,190 have been granted, the average amount! being $10 per family, bearing interest of, at the most, 12'per cent. These Joins are being used for the purchase of fertilizers and seeds.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.