CO129-629-8 Social policy 1-12-1949 - 31-12-1951 — Page 96

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that Government assistance with buildings might help this sort of work the Governor said that he falt that there should not be undue intervention by Government and that the movem nts should retain their spontaneous character.

Mr. Paskin said that ultimately the question which Hong Kong had to answer in connection with social welfare was that in a wealthy community which was very prosperous necessary social welfare work was not done and money was not provided for staff.

The Governor agre d that the staff should be increased and said that it would assist him if the Secretary of State were to send a despatch saying that he attached importance to increasing social welfare work. He felt that by and large the Government was doing all it could to overcome the inertia which led to difficulties in obtaining finance for social welfare. work and thought that the method to be adopted should be to keep up gentle pressure for the provision of the newer types of social welfare adequate finance was provided for the more traditional forms of welfare e.g. hospitals etc. Ho felt it important that the pressure should not be too severe otherwise a reaction against any form of welfare work might develop. Summing up the Governor said that he would welcome sensible prodding from the Office on the matter and also hoped that when Mr.Loo d'Almada visited the United Kingdom this year the importance of social welfare work should be impressed upon him. On the question of providing a Deputy for Mr. McDouall the Governor thought that it might be possiblo to move an Administrative Officer with a flair for social welfare work from some other Departmont in Hong Kong; he would however nead a replacement for this officer.

It was AGREED that a despatch should be sent to Hong Kong on the subject of social welfaro on the lines indicated above.

C.0./10334/50

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