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FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1975.
TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN SOCIAL SERVICES
OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS
******
THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION, MR. DENIS BRAY, TODAY SPOKE ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS HONG KONG HAS MADE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SERVICES OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS.
SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON. MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF KOWLOON, HE SAID THAT IN EVERY FIELD OF SOCIAL POLICY THERE HAD BEEN PROGRESS WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN REGARDED IN THE EARLY 1950'S AS IMPOSSIBLE +NOT ONLY BY THE IMPORTANT AND WISE EXPERIENCED OLD MEN BUT ALSO BY IDEALISTS WHO WANTED TO SEE THINGS CHANGED,+
ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME, MR. BRAY SAID IT WAS NOT STARTED UNTIL AFTER THE BIG SQUATTER FIRE IN SHEK KIP HEI ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT IN 1953 WHEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE MADE HOMELESS.
+FROM THIS,+ HE ADDED, +FLOWED THE VAST RE-HOUSING PROGRAMME WHICH FIRST CLEARED INTO NEW SIMPLE HOUSING SQUATTERS FROM GREAT AREAS OF LAND THEY OCCUPIED AND TODAY IS DEVOTED TO THE PRODUCTION OF HOUSING ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE.+
TURNING TO EDUCATION, MR. BRAY SAID: +AT THAT TIME, EVEN PRIMARY EDUCATION WAS REGARDED AS A PRIZE BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST CHILDREN,
+TODAY, HE CONTINUED, WE TAKE FREE PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR GRANTED AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUBSIDISED SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR EVERYBODY BEFORE LONG.
ON MEDICAL SERVICES, MR. BRAY SAID: TODAY OUR HOSPITALS ARE STILL OVERCROWDED IN SPITE OF TREMENDOUS EXPANSION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.
+BUT, WHAT WE CALL OVERCROWDING TODAY WOULD AT THE TIME HAVE BEEN REGARDED AS SPACIOUS.+
ON THE SUBJECT OF SOCIAL WELFARE, HE SAID: +ASSISTANCE FOR THE NEEDY IN THE 1950'S WAS PROVIDED IN A VERY CRUDE WAY.
*THIS WAS IN THE FORM OF FREE MEALS COOKED AT THE KITCHENS IN HONG KONG AND KOWLOON.+
LATER, SOME PEOPLE HERE GIVEN DRIED BATIONS AND FIREWOOD WHICH WAS THE ONLY COMMON FUEL AT THAT TIME.
- araw-
/VET, IN. BRAY