XN000022-1973-10-23 — Page 7

Tuesday, October 23, 1973

KAIFONGS URGED TO HELP PROMOTE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES

The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr. Jack Cater, this evening

appealed to Kaifong members to help form more mutual aid committees to

further promote mutual help and good neighbourliness among residents of

multi-storey buildings.

Kaifongs, he said, were in a good position to spread the gospel

of mutual aid committees because of their experience in bringing people

together to discuss their problems, their wide contacts with people from

all walks of life, and their association facilities which could serve as

meeting places.

Addressing a gathering of Kaifong leaders on the occasion of

the 24th Kaifong Day, Mr. Cater felt sure that the new concept of mutual

aid committees could greatly improve the quality of life in Hong Kong.

Some 900 such committees had either been formed or were in the

process of formation since June this year, he said.

"This is a very useful start but we must not forget that there

are altogether some 10,000 buildings, all of which would benefit from

organisations of this kind."

He said the Home Affairs Department had recruited 80 part-time

community organisers to visit these buildings and encourage the residents

to form mutual aid committees,

"Clearly this small number of officers cannot hope to cover even

a modest proportion of the buildings which still lack any form of organisation,

and this is where we need your help," he stressed.

Mr. Cater

·