indirect result of continued hostilities in Korea the level of economic activity fell so
so that
that unemployment and under-employment rose substantially. Increased restrictions on movement between Hong Kong and China caused the population to become somewhat more stable, but the population did not fall and the problem of overcrowded, urban housing continued unrelieved throughout the year. Severe poverty continued to be widespread although there were no signs of economic distress so acute as to result in starvation. A number of serious fires took place in squatter areas and it is calculated that altogether some 16,000 persons were rendered homeless by these disasters. Against this background there was some expansion of official welfare work and an intensification of the efforts of voluntary bodies; over the whole field there was substantial progress towards truly effective coordination of effort.
Community Welfare
The growth of Kaifong welfare associations is the most important single development since the war in the social welfare field. The Cantonese word "kaifong" means "neighbours", or "responsible citizens”, or “elders" and the kaifong for centuries played a significant part in urban society in South China. Without much formal organiza- tion they found themselves largely responsible not only for charitable and other similar services, such as the provision of free schools and medical attention for the poor, but also for local public works and other community services which in a differently organized community would have been the direct responsibility of the administration.
In the middle of 1949 there began a striking modern development of the kaifong movement along more formal lines than those described above, and by the end of 1951 there were in existence eighteen Kaifong Welfare Associations, each devoted to the development of local welfare measures in one urban district. These associations organized free schools and free clinics, sponsored the recruitment of local divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, provided and equipped children's playgrounds and other recreational facilities for young people and made lively and well-documented representations to the Government on such local matters as water-supply, street lighting, markets, hawkers and squatters.
At the beginning of the year under review there were fourteen Kaifong Welfare Associations with a total membership of 53,800. During 1951 four new associations were founded and on 31st December 1951, the total membership amounted to 105,395.
That is to say, the membership had doubled and roughly one adult in every fifteen was a member of one of the associations.
80