He noted that this service was still being provided for on a 100 per cent: basis, although a large proportion of the Schools with which it was intended to deal had ceased to exist or were only partially functioning. He Suggested that the expenditure involved, amounting in total to about $75,000, should be first considerably reduced, and then transferred to the Education Budget. He added that in putting forward the various amendments he had no intention of pre-
Judicing the conditions of service of any existing employee.
Tu answer to this, the Commissioner of Public Health stated that under any Authority a School Medical Service was always an expensive Hem, and. the returns. it produced, being an "invisible dividend" in the form of improved health among the school children generally, were not easily assessed on a cash basis. He agreed that until conditions returned to normal, a temporary reduction in expenditure under this heading was fully justified, but a permanent cur-{ailment of the School Medical Service was @ matter for careful thought and close discussion before a decision was taken. He added that the Health Budget in general was framed with the knowledge that a great part of the work for which expenditure was in-eluded would not be carried out dur-Ing the forthcoming year, owing to the hostilities.
The Chairman noted that about 80 per cent. of the cost of the School Medical Service was made up. in salaries to staff. He thought, and members agreed, that the question of what reduction, if any, was justifiable, could best be the subject of discus sions between the Treasurer and Controller and the Commissioner of Public Health.
Extraordinary Expenditure.—With regard to the budget of extraordinary expenditure, it was agreed to recommend that no appropriation be made this year for the following items Market Site, Hardoon-Annam Roads Cattle "Market Site in Western District; Additional Land for Hungjao Cemetery; Additional machinery at [Central Laund:
Tlems to which the Council is already committed or which were considered urgent included a frigerating installation at the Public Mortuary, an appropriation of $5,000 ing included to cover a portion of the cost of this work; preparation of an area to provide additional burial space in Hunglao Cemetery, for which $6,000 was included; and an additional columbarium and necessary alterations considered changes should be made'to the East Aisle at Bubbling Well Cemetery, $3,500. Four items for the abattoir were also dealt with in this manner, these including $10,600, Dbalance'of cost for building of the pid killing section; $6,500 balance of cost for equipment' for the same section $12,000 balance of cost of slaughterhouse tiling; and $1,000 for necessary work in the casing rooms." An appropriation of $13,900, covering the balance of cost of installation of safety devices to apparatus, float controls to plant, and the supply of thermometers at the Afeat Market and Cold Storage Block, was also. included in the Budget, as being urgently required. 'A sum' of $3,880. was included In the Budget for minor" building work urgently required.
Subject to adjustment the 'Treasurer and Controller in conjunetion with the Commissioner of Public Health, the Annual Estimates of the Public' Health Department for 1938 were approved for submission to the Finance Committee.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.