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207. Rationa
also issued Were
rharitable various institutions, particularly orphanages. The anmber of rationa jasued war 20,582 of which 18,424 want to children and 2,148 to the aged.
208. At the beginning of the year there were four camps, Rosary Hill, Aberdeen, Morrison Hill and Ma Tan Chung, housing those who were unable to afford the high rents demanded and the
key money
or who were unable to support themselves.
J
209. Rosary Hill Camp was closed down in Septeraber and the inmates moved to Aberdeen Camp.
210. Flans were completed for closing Aberdeen Comp early in 1948 and moving the inmates to a large camp at Ma Tao Chung in Kowloon. Plans were also in preparation for closing the small camp at Ma Tau Chung, the property of the Hong Kong Social Welfare Council. Thus the three camps would be combined making for economy in administration. Their inmates totalled 276 at the end of the rear. The fourth camp, Morrison Hill contained 193 people.
211. The Social Welfare work will be transferred to the Social Welfare Officer as soon as he bas organized his new sub- department.
212. In the early part of the year a camp was opened at Teal The Mai where aquatters were permitted to build simple hygienic types of huts and where they were provided with a public water supply and latrines. Some 27 families have taken advantage of this. This camp is sited on the tram route and is easily accossible. A similar camp is contemplated for Kowloon.
213. In addition to these direct activities, the department has given medical assistance and encouragement to a large ramp of orphans, mainly war orphans, at King's Park in Kowloon, This camp contains between 350 and 360 orphans and is visited regularly by a medical officer and an ophthalmologist. The camp is administered by the Salvation Army.
214. In general there has been a steady decrease in those needing relief as many of the immediate post war difficulties have been settled, but there still remains a very serious housing problem and there is likely to be a hard core of destitutes who will need nasistance for a long time to come.
I. NEWTON,
Direntor of Mediant Services,