XN000022-1974-10-16 — Page 24

SOCIAL WELFARE

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1974

A YEAR OF CONSOLIDATION ******

GOOD OVERALL PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES IN HONG KONG DURING THE PAST YEAR, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN HIS REVIEW OF THE YEAR'S ACTIVITIES IN THIS FIELD, HE SAID HONG KONG WAS NOW ON THE COURSE MAPPED OUT IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND HE EXPECTED FURTHER PROGRESS TO BE MADE.

THE GOVERNOR REFERRED BRIEFLY TO SOME NEW MEASURES BEING PLANNED, INCLUDING LEGISLATION TO CONTROL AND REGULATE THE OPERATION OF CHILD CARE CENTRES.

WORK HAD ALSO BEGUN ON THE DRAFTING OF A PROGRAMME PLAN FOR REHABILITATION TO CO-ORDINATE AND GUIDE THE EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND MANY VOLUNTARY BODIES WHICH ARE ACTIVE IN THIS COMPLEX FIELD, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY DESCRIBED THE YEAR AS ONE OF CONSOLIDATION WHICH HAD SEEN MANY NEW SCHEMES AND PROJECTS COMING INTO OPERATION IN LINE WITH THE WHITE PAPER AND FIVE-YEAR PLAN ON SOCIAL WELFARE.

COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICERS HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO ALL DISTRICTS IN THE URBAN AREAS AND WORK WAS WELL ADVANCED TO ESTABLISH THE SCHEME IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT THE INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING HAD NOW COMPLETED ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATION, AND HE ADVISED THOSE WHO HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE ABILITY OF HONG KONG TO PRODUCE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT CALIBRE TO MAN THE SOCIAL SERVICES BEING PLANNED, TO VISIT THE INSTITUTE. +THEY WILL FIND IT A STIMULATING AND ENCOURAGING EXPERIENCE,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE SCHEME, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS PROVIDING REGULAR ALLOWANCES TO 50,000 ELDERLY AND SEVERELY DISABLED PERSONS 18 MONTHS AFTER ITS INTRODUCTION.

THE RATE OF BENEFIT UNDER THIS SCHEME AND THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, WAS REVIEWED REGULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE COST OF LIVING, AND TWO INCREASES HAD BEEN MADE THIS YEAR BRINGING THE RATES UP TO 62 PER CENT ABOVE THE BASE-RATE OF APRIL 1972.

/+TAKEN!