THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1977
APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM UNEMPLOYED ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE ******
MORE THAN 130 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SINCE IT BEGAN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM UNEMPLOYED ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE BETWEEN 15 AND 55 YEARS OF AGE ON APRIL 1.
ALL THE APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT,
OF THE 86 APPLICANTS WHO TURNED UP AT THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE, FOUR HAVE ALREADY TAKEN UP NEW EMPLOYMENT.
THOSE WHO DID NOT TURN UP FOR REGISTRATION AT THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE WITHOUT GOOD REASONS WOULD BE DISQUALIFIED FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
MR. LU YU-HUA, SENIOR PRINCIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY DIVISION, SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED SO FAR WAS NOT AS MANY AS EXPECTED.
+THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC HOLIDAYS EARLIER THIS MONTH, + HE EXPLAINED.
THERE ARE 26 SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG -- SIX ON THE ISLAND, 14 IN KOWLOON AND SIX IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
MR. LU URGED UNEMPLOYED ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE BETWEEN 15 AND 55 YEARS OF AGE TO CONTACT THE IR NEAREST SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNIT.
TO QUALIFY, HE SAID, THEY MUST HAVE RESIDED IN HONG KONG FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS.
+ IF THE APPLICANTS FAIL TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT FOR ONE MONTH AFTER THE DATE OF APPLICATION, THEIR MONTHLY ENTITLEMENT WILL START FROM THE FIRST DAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH, HE SAID.
ON THE SCALE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, MR. LU SAID: THE PRESENT RATE OF ASSISTANCE IS $180 A MONTH FOR A SINGLE PERSON WHEREAS FOR A FAMILY, $130 FOR EACH OF THE FIRST THREE MEMBERS, 3105 FOR EACH OF THE NEXT THREE AND 380 FOR THE SEVENTH MEMBER AND SO ON. ON TOP OF THIS, A RENT ALLOWANCE IS ALSO PAID AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, A SPECIAL ALLOWANCE TO MEET ESSENTIAL EXPENDITURE.+
COPIES OF A LEAFLET EXPLAINING THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME ARE CETAINABLE FROY ALL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE URBAN AREA, DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES AND SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS OF THE SOCIAL MELFARE DEPARTMENT.
THE ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF ALL THE SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS APE ALSO LISTED IN THE LEAFLET.
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