Chapter 11: Social Welfare
IN Hong Kong, where densities of over 2,000 persons to the acre have been found in some areas, welfare problems are seriously aggravated by the swollen population. Enforce- ment of stricter immigration regulations as from September 1956 has not entirely stopped the flow of refugees from China, some of whom still manage to smuggle themselves into the Colony illegally.
Surplus man-power has brought about under-employment and low standards of living which have not been much alleviated by the easing this year of United Kingdom restrictions on trade with China. The diversion of a large proportion of the Colony's funds to the rehousing of thousands of squatters-many of whom are refugees-has only been possible at the expense of many other hard- pressed local requirements in the fields of health, education and welfare. On 12th November, 1957, the General Assem- bly of the United Nations passed a Resolution which, after acknowledging the heavy burden placed on the Hong Kong Government by the influx of refugees, recognizing that the problem was of international concern, and taking into account the need for emergency and long-term assistance, urged States and non-governmental organizations to give all possible assistance to alleviate the distress of the refugees and authorized the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to use his good offices to encourage arrangements for contributions. There had been no positive results from this Resolution by the end of the year.
In the fight against the social evils of poverty, ignorance, ill-health and squalor, the Social Welfare Office is joined by well over 100 voluntary welfare organizations and many small groups of welfare workers sponsored by different
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