XN000022-1972-06-20 — Page 4

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Tuesday, June 20, 1972

ANOTHER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FIELD UNIT TO OPEN

The 14th Public Assistance Field Unit, to serve applicants for public

assistance in another Kowloon district, will be opened tomorrow (June 21).

It is the Shek Kip Mei Meld Unit, and will be located temporarily

in the premises of the Sham Shui Po Field Unit until its own building is ready

in about six weeks.

The Shek Kip Mei Unit will take over from the Sham Shui Po Field

Unit all cases the latter is presently handling in Shek Kip Mei, Pak Tin and

Tai Wor Ping.

It will also take over from the Mong Kok Field Unit the latter's case6

in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon Tsai, Tai Hang Tung and Tai Hang Sai.

Mr. Chou Ting-haun, Senior Principal Social Welfare Officer and head

of the Public Assistance Division, says setting up of the 14th Field Unit has

become urgent because of "a steadily rising caseload."

"Not only has the earlier target figure of 15,000 been reached and

passed," he explains, "but there are indications that pressure will increase,

instead of diminishing."

It is divisional policy, subject to funds being available, to provide

a separate field unit for every 1,000 cases, and on this basis, the 15th field

unit is already being planned.

Mr. Chou says the total caseload on May 31 was 14,876, and $16 million

has been spent since the expanded public scheme became fully operational on

April 1, 1971.

Following the announcement of improved payments from April 1 this year,

more than 1,000 new applications have been received each month.

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