THE CHINA. MAIL, DECEMBER 16, 1988
HONG KONG LOW WAGE LEVELS DEBAR ADEQUATE HOUSING FOR POOR
The conclusion that it is impossible for the poorest section of the Hong Kong community to be adequately housed on entirely self-supporting basis because of precariously low wage levels and of the volume of unemployment, is reach- ed by the sponsors of Social Settlements who to-day have issued their final report.
In
to
The report points out that the in our first report shew that the per object of the experiment was to capita cost would be very small. study in miniature and at close our judgment, this should be a first
charge on public money devoted quarters Hong Kong's appalling housing, and all other housing pro- housing conditions, recently ren-blems should be subsidiary to it. dered still worse by the large in-
WAGE LEVEL Improvement in housing conditions, flux of refugees. The sponsors however, must go hand in hand with a thought that by cutting out the raising of the wage level and in provi- private middleman and by intro-sion for periods of unemployment. ducing disinterested control, it Finally, the health of the community might be possible to give tenants depends on the health of its poorest members. Their health depends on an more cubic space for less rent.
adequate diet and better homes. Hong They believed they could demons-Kong can never be a healthy or trate that this could be done with-happy community until public action out any cost, apart from adminis-is taken to provide suitable homes and reasonable income for those who per- tration, to the government.
form the Colony's most menial tasks. SETTLEMENTS TO GO ON
CONFIRMATION
a
The Social Settlement Group, keen After six months a report was, pu- to keep the scheme running, partly for blished. It was given wide publicity the sake of the tenants, partly for that in the Press and was reprinted in the of the kindergarten school, which has St. John's Cathedral magazine. It shewn such marked results, are now awakened much greater interest than indebted to the Peace Pledge Union, the authors had imagined. One result which on Tuesday passed a resolution was that the group were asked to ex-taking over the administration of the tend the experiment for another three Social Settlement forthwith. months. The generosity of a few
They would welcome financial help sympathisers enabled this to be done. to carry on both the Settlement and
The second period of research con- the excellent school attached to it. firms the findings of the first report. It is considered that it may be useful, however, to add a few general conclu- sions.
It It is impossible for the poorest sec- tion of the community to be housed on an entirely self-supporting basis for the following reasons:—
(a) Wages, when in work, are bare-
ly enough for food.
(b) The volume of available
work
LANCASHIRE
DEMONSTRATES AT BLACKBURN
falls for below requirements. (c) Work itself is very irregular.
A REVELATION ·
LONDON, TO-DAY. The refugees, of course, have added
CARRYING BURNING TOR- to the unemployment and have forced the wage level even lower than before. CHES AND PROTECTED FROM NOTE: A year ago all but one of the THE POURING RAIN BY UM- male adult tenants of Social Settle- BRELLAS, `SEVERAL HUNDRED ments were wage-earners. In nine EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES months, five have become partially un- MARCHED TO A MEETING AT employed, two have become (apparent-
| BLACKBURN YESTERDAY ΤΟ
ly) totally unemployed.
2.
3.
A sense of responsibility for their PROTEST AGAINST WHAT THEY surroundings depends on the stan- CONSIDER THE PARLIAMEN- dard of living. This was demon- strated by an invasion of the set- TARY APATHY TOWARDS THE tlement by bugs. The families in LANCASHIRE COTTON TRADE. permanent employment took steps
The demonstration was arranged
to exterminate them, but the un- by the "Red Rose Cotton Cam- employed tenants, on the whole, regarded the insects with the same
paign," which is urging assistance dull acceptance as they display tu for cotton. all the other unpleasant features of their existence.
DIET AND disease
The meeting, which was attend- ed by 2,000, passed a resolution There is little ability to resist di-urging the Government in all fu sease. Those in work dare not ture trade pacts and negotiations. stay away from it even when they to take such action as is necessary are sick; and there is never a mar- to improve the cotton industry.- gin out of which those extra things. Reuter. necessary for convalescence, can be bought. There are many medical agencies, providing medicine and treatment, but they can make little impression on so vast a problem. The fundamental cause is that these people can never afford a diet which makes resistance to disease possible.
We would venture, therefore, point the following morals from our experiment:
Public money
must be used for the housing of the very poor. The figures
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