36
3.
coolies at his Centre also frequently and cheerfully stayed on duty for long hours, sometimes until as late as midnight, preparing the premises for the meetings and clearing up afterwards; they too received no overtime pay or bonus. Light refreshments were usually provided at the longer meetings and were paid for by some members of the Social Welfare Office. Workers at other S.W.O. Welfare Centres later had similar burdens to carry.
10.
Meanwhile the small Shamshuipo Preparatory Committee and its supporters had thrown themselves into their work with increasing keenness, had interested a fair number of other local residents, and had completed their drafting work. A general meeting of 500 - 600 people was called on the 23rd October 1949 at which the draft constitution was adopted with a few minor amendments, and the committees and principal officers elected for a twelve month term. Inevitably a fairly impressive demonstration was to be expected as a face-giving and enjoyable accompaniment to the inaugural meeting of the Association; the smallest Chinese club or society is always ready to celebrate even its annual gencral meetings by spending what to Westerners may seem far too much money and effort on obtaining suitable premises, on gay decorations and exhilarating fire-crackers, possibly on entertainments, and on light refreshments if no full dinner can be financed. The Shamshuipo Kaifong set the example for their kind of association by being anxious not to spend money on these essential but often expensive outward shows, when that money was so badly nceded for constructive welfare work. They solved the problem by holding the meeting in a suitably and gaily decorated school assembly hall (kindly lent free of charge by the chairman of the school's board of directors, who happened to be an energetic member of the new Kaifong), by suggesting to a local bakery (also represented on the Kaifong) that it should donate light refreshments only, and by having simple entertainments provided by local musicians and the flattered members of the local S.W.0. Welfare Centre's Children's Club.
11.
Another way in which the Shamshuipo Kaifong set a precedent was in the form of its constitution, which at the wish of the founder members was long and detailed. The S.W.O.'s part in the hours of debate and discussion spent on it was confined to suggesting alterations to parts of drafts which might be unfortunately misinterpreted by goverment officials or members of the public; as far as possible the Preparatory Committee was encouraged to make all the constructive suggestions. In brief the main provisions of the final Chinese written constitution were
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(a) Full name of the association to be the Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare-
Advancement Association.
(b) Object of the association to se to develop friendly neighbourliness
and the spirit of mutual help, and to advance all welfare activities in the neighbourhood.
(c) Address to be, temporarily, c/o S.7.0. Shemshuipo Welfare Centre.
(a) Principal activities to include mass moral education, evening
classes or schools for non-school children, vocational training especially for the unemployed, employment bureaux, public health campaigns, establishment of a public library, and charitable and public assistance work generally. (Note: later practical experience was to widen the scope of some of these aims and to shift the emphasis in others).
(e) Membership of the association to be open to all "who live or work
in factories, shops or houses in Shamshuipo irrespective of nationality, sex, or age if over 20, if they are of good conduct with no bad habits, are of sound mind, are willing to work faithfully and loyally for the welfare of the neighbourhood, agree to the