CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 45

from the top. It seemed that a more practical approach would be to build up effective co-ordination within different specialised spheres first, and only when that had been largely achieved to proceed with the creation of some effective super-co-ordinating body. Mr. McDouall requested the Committee's advice on this question.

MISS HARFORD and LADY HUGGINS, speaking respectively from experience in the National Council of Social Service and in Jamaica said that the method outlined by Mr. McDouall had certainly proved successful, although it had to be borne in mind that progress was inevitably slow. The Committee

(3) agreed with Mr. McDouall's proposals.

Arising out of this question, discussion turned on the reason for the poor quality of the work of a number of small organisations of women in Hong Kong. It was felt that the formation of some sort of guiding body might prevent wasted efforts. Mr. McDOUALL said, however, that some of these groups had in fact been politically inspired and had become defunct in the last few years. MISS HARFORD suggested in connection with the secretarial and organisational side of the work of members of voluntary bodies that Chinese women might be brought to this country to study the techniques of, for example, Standing Conferences of Women's Organisations. Fir. McDOUALL said he would take up this suggestion.

(iii) Kaifong (Residents') Welfare Associations.

In reply to the Vice-Chairman's request ir. McDouall gave the Committee an account of the origins and growth of these Associations in Hong Kong. (This is not recorded in view of Mr. McDouall's undertaking, reported below, to supply a more detailed account.)

With regard to the other populations in Hong Kong, Mr. McDouall said that the Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus all had their own organisations; in addition various nationalities had their own semi-charitable semi-social organisations. There were also certain specialist groups such as the Port Welfare Association Committee, Scouts and Guides; but welfare for the non-Chinese was not such a serious problem because normally a non-Chinese was not domiciled in Hong Kong and would be repatriated if ill, in need or a social misfit.

(At this point Mr. Dugdale joined the meeting and took the Chair.)

Mr. BISHOP said that he had been most impressed by the account which had been given of the successful initiation of modern community associations deriving their inspiration from the conception of Kaifong which had origins going far back into history. The Committee

(4) agreed with Mr. Bishop's remarks and considered that Mr. McDouall

was to be complimented on the part he had played in the development of these associations.

In view of the number of enquiries subsequently addressed by members to Mr. McDouall regarding the detailed organisation of Kaifong, it became clear that a full account of these developments would be of considerable interest not only to the Committed but also to community organisations in this country. Mr. McDouall accordingly agreed to provide the Committee with a more detailed account of the growth and work of the Kaifong Welfare associations and similar bodies in Hong Kong.

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