XN000022-1972-08-22 — Page 8

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Tuesday, August 22, 1972

One idea was to erect an exhibition hall in the heart of Sau Mau Ping,

an area affected by the June rainstorms. But this was thought to be unsuitable

because it was felt that such a building would normally be provided by the

Government, and should not be built at the expense of these donations.

Another idea was to distribute the balance in a final cash payment to

all registered victims.

While this proposal had the merit of immediately putting an end to the

chapter on the June rainstorms in so far as it relates to the public's generosity,

members felt such a liquidation of responsibility took no account of the expressed

desire of many donors to have their money constatively employed among victims

of future disasters.

Mr. Rowe said 4,528 families, or 21,580 individuals, had registered

for aid after the rainstorms with the Social Welfare Department alone, and if

the balance were distributed in cash among them, no one would get more than

between $100 and $200 each.

In view of the smallness of this amount and the large payments already

made, a more satisfactory solution would seem to be to consider legislation to

enable the balance to be transferred to the Community Relief Trust Fund proper

for use in future emergencies,

"There are precedents for this," Mr. Rowe explained,

"Indeed, the

Community Relief Trust Fund was begun with funds derived from donations in

respect of specifie disasters."

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