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accommodated 362 families, which is 1,834 persons, from the compassionate list. Now that is, in fact, not far short of the annual quota, so I don't think we are doing so badly as you make out.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, I am sorry, I have noticed that the cases have been processed more quickly recently. May I just ask then that the Commissioner will keep the ball rolling?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Yes.
CHAIRMAN:- I am sure he will try to.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, I can confirm of course that cases are being processed more quickly. My Chai Wan compassionate cases in particular seem to have been accommodated now but when I was Chairman of the Policy Select Committee and Joint Committees of Resettlement it was always clearly understood that any application to enlarge the quota either by the Director of Social Welfare or by the Medical Department should, I say, be compassionately considered. Is that still the case?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I am not quite sure what Mr. BERNACCHI means. I think the present quota of 5,000 was approved by either the Joint Committee or the Management Committee. I don't know whether he is suggesting that that quota should be increased further.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Perhaps to clarify, I will ask the question in a completely different way. The present quota is 5,000. First of all, is that sufficient? If it is sufficient, why is there this backlog and why is there this inter-departmental agreement that no more cases will be referred except very urgent ones?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Well, if I can answer the last bit first. The reason why we agreed inter-departmentally not to accept any further cases for the time being was to get the backlog down. The first question which is, is the quota enough, the answer is No. There are many more people, I should imagine, than 5,000 who need, or would like to be, accommodated and possibly who fall within the eligibility criteria for compassionate accommodation. It is a question of working out priorities for the whole resettlement needs throughout the Colony. What was the second question?
MR. BERNACCHI:- I think the answer has been given really but why this backlog of previously 600, now 251 persons, if the quota has not been filled, or has it been filled?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Well, I did try to explain but it is rather complicated. The accommodation available for putting compassionate cases into does not come through evenly. At the beginning of this year, we didn't have as much as we would have liked but, as I say, this is balanced by more accommodation suitable for compassionate cases coming forward later in the year. I think we will always have a backlog because it is in the nature of things simply because the processing of cases alone takes some weeks so there is always going to be time required for the processing of particular cases. I think the first point I should say is that there are considerable difficulties in dealing with compassionate cases. It is a matter of fact that when a person is referred to our department as a special case he tends to become much more particular about the accommodation that is offered and, although I fully sympathize, the fact is that they are quite often not satisfied unless they are offered accommodation in a place they particularly want so whilst we try to satisfy wherever possible there will always be a backlog although I do hope to reduce it as far as possible.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, since I do agree with the Commissioner that the most important problem is to bring down that backlog to reasonable proportions, could he give us an indication as to when?
Whether it is the end of this month, next month, or the month following, when he thinks he would be able to accept referrals from Social Welfare and Medical Departments in the normal way?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I think we can start this month.
MR. BERNACCHI:- Mr. Chairman, I am sorry, before passing on to the next question, although I appreciate that 5,000 quota is not sufficient, nevertheless I should like to think that either Social Welfare Department or Medical Department think that they cannot apply to enlarge the quota if their cases are in excess of 5,000. Whether or not we can increase the quota remains for the Select Committee to decide. I hope that that is made clear to these two departments.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Perhaps the Commissioner can advise the meeting of the Resettlement Policy Committee when it meets on the present quota and whether there is a necessity of increasing the quota?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- It is intended that this should be done at the next meeting and I think any further discussion on this should be left until then.
(3) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question:-
The main entrances of cinemas and theatres in Kowloon, with the exception of Tsim Sha Tsui district, are always crowded with vendors selling all sorts of eating stuffs,
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