CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 13

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Mr. Paskin.

Attached at (9) will be found a note of our discussion on this question of Social Policy with the Governor of Hong Kong on the 21st June. The most important things, I think, which emerged out of it in the way of constructive proposals are

(a) that the Secretary of State should address an

official despatch to Hong Kong suggesting an early consideration on the provision by the Hong Kong Government of housing with the use of C.D & W. funds (see the last paragraph of 3 on page 2 of the note), and

(b)

the Governor's acquiescence, subject to the O.A.G.'s and Legislature's concurrance, in the provision of additional staff to deal with social welfare work. The actual staff discussed was (i) a deputy for Mr. McDouall, and (ii) a trained woman welfare officer.

These papers are now sent forward with a view to enabling Sir C. Jeffries to see what passed at the meeting on 21st June before the discussion arranged between him and Sir A. Grantham on Monday morning next, 26th June, takes place.

JB.S

23. 6. 50.

Broadly speaking the result of this "inquisition" is that it is agreed by the Governor that there is very little "civic" sense in Hong Kong, and very little real prospect of such a sense being developed owing to the fact that such aproportion of the population of Hong Kong (middle-class business men, as well as the working-class population) have their real roots in China.

On the other hand it is the unanimous opinion of all of the Colonial Office Advisers who have visited Hong Kong that (a) in the field of education and social welfare generally, Hong Kong has a record of which it can be very proud indeed, having regard to the work of rehabilitation which had to

undertaken after the Japanese occupation, and (b) that there is a widespread admirable "social conscience" in Hong Kong. This however expresses itself mainly in traditional Chinese ways and needs constant encouragement on the part of Government to direct it into channels which experience elsewhere has proved to be more effective than Chinese traditional methods.

Against this has to be set an apathy on the part of the well-to-do business community towards the disgracefully overcrowded housing conditions for the working class. population, and a reluctance to vote money for welfare officers of the kind which are considered to be necessary.

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