CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 35

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These ideas seemed utopian, if only because it was often assumed that the people of Hong Kong had become an overwhelmingly Chinese miscellany, and that most residents had come to the Colony merely to make a living or more money for themselves, to seek asylum or recreation, or to take advantage of Hong Kong's medical or educational facilities. Alternatively, if these ideas were not utopian they were dangerous on account of the opportunities they could offer on the one hand for attracting mere social climbers or on the other for exploitation in their own time by criminal gangs such as triad societies or by political agitators. These dangers were real, and from the start the Social Welfare Office took particular care to guard against them.

6. The first approach was made from the S.W.O. Welfare Centre at Shanshuipo. The events which followed and which finally led to the successful setting-up of the Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare Association with its detailed constitution were not for the most part essentially different from similar events which

The took place later, though at a much faster speed, in other districts. next four paragraphs therefore briefly outline the early Shamshuipo story; the remainder of these notes then deal generally with the whole movement up to October 1951.

Shamshuipo

7. In February 1949 Mr. C. N. Li and Mr. Tsang (then Assistant Relieving Officer, Shamshuipo) set out to contact families and shopkeepers living or working near the S.W.0. Welfare Centre at Shamshuipo in order to interest them personally in the work at that Centre. They were not successful because the people with whom they talked were unwilling to do anything without a lead

We therefore from bigger figures in the local business and professional world. altered our policy and approached at the same time certain prominent Chinese from all parts of the large district of Shamshuipo, which had an estimated population of some 100,000. A few of them, together with a handful of small merchants and some employees, eventually began to take a lively interest in

It was these the possibility of creating a local welfare association. gentlemen who first suggested reviving the old term "kaifong" as a part of the new association's name.

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Throughout the spring and summer of 1949 lengthy evening meetings were held in the S.W.0. Welfare Centre's wooden hut, at which new plans, draft constitutions, often delicate questions of personalities, and other practical

A semi-formal details were discussed and debated over and over again. though necessarily self-appointed Preparatory Committee was set up, and careful records were kept of all their proceedings. The Social Welfare Officer was able to attend a large number of these meetings, at the very beginning as convenor in the chair but for most of the meetings as a non-voting observer; Mr. C. N. Li attended them all as an assistant adviser, as well as taking

One of the tasks of these two officers part in many informal discussions. was to encourage individual initiative amongst the future members of the new association, and at the same time to help them build up a collective sense of responsibility. This of course took time and prolonged the course or all the discussions and debates; it also meant that until well into 1950 the Social Welfare Officer considered it advisable to discourage members of his own staff from becoming active members of any Kaifong Welfare Association lost their words or ideas be misconstrued as thinly veiled official directions. For from the start the role of the Social Welfare Office was to encourage a healthy independence amongst the new Kaifong Welfare Associations, whilst providing them with all possible technical and official advice or help: the This role was S.W.0. was never to play the part of director or controller. frequently stressed at the early meetings and, later, in public speeches.

9. The work in Shamshuipo threw a heavy burden on Mr. Tsang, the Assistant Relieving Officer, who undertook in his spare time the exacting duties of honorary secretary to the meetings, of messenger when it was politic to use someone of higher standing than a coolie, and of assistant go-between.

The

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