XN000022-1972-05-30 — Page 10

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Tuesday, May 30, 1972

MA TAU WEI GIRLS' HOME

Replacement Site In Ho Man Tin For 150

Urgent measures are being undertaken to expedite construction of the

Social Welfare Department's new girls' home in Ho Man Tin to replace the

existing home in Ma Tau Wei.

Mrs. Chen Liu Mu-lan, Senior Principal Social Welfare Officer and

head of the Probation and Corrections Division, says the new home will have

accomodation for 150 girls, and will be large enough to accommodate, with

ease, the number of girls presently referred to the Department by the courts

and the Police.

The home in Ma Tau Wei was built some years ago to house 70 girls.

On various occasions, the total being accommodated has exceeded 70, but the

maximum has never been more than 80.

Mrs. Chen explains that when pressure for accommodation becomes great

because of a sudden inflow of cases from the Police, it is customary for the

Superintendent of the Home to give up her quarters. This happens when more

girls than usual are sent to Ma Tau Wei for temporary shelter, or on remand

for minor offences.

In a day or two, when they leave, the pressure eases, and the total

number of girls being accommodated returns to 65 or so.

Girls on probation remain for periodo not longer than one year

Another category of girls comprise those sent by the police to Ma

Tau Wei for care and protection, and at present there are 36 of them.

"This

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