XN000022-1975-04-28 — Page 5

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MONDAY, APRIL 28, 1975

PO LEUNG KUK DISCUSSES WELFARE PLAN WITH

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (MONDAY) ASSURED THE PO LEUNG KUK OF CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR ITS WORK IN THE WELFARE FIELD AND PRAISED THE BOARD FOR ITS INTENTION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE KUK'S SERVICES DURING THE COMING YEAR.

THE ASSURANCE CAME WHEN THE NEWLY ELECTED BOARD OF DIRECTORS, LED BY THEIR CHAIRMAN, MR. PETER LI PING-KAM, PAID A COURTESY CALL ON MR. LEE TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST.

AMONG THE SERVICES WHICH THE KUK HOPED TO EXPAND INTO WAS THAT OF CARE FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW HOSTEL. THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND WOULD BE OPENED IN STAGES. ON THIS PROPOSAL THE KUK SOUGHT THE DEPARTMENT'S SUPPORT AND ADVICE ON PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED.

MR. LEE INFORMED THE DIRECTORS THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER WELFARE AGENCIES WERE ALSO INTERESTED IN PROVIDING A SIMILAR SERVICE AND THE MATTER WOULD HAVE TO BE LOOKED INTO. HE POINTED OUT THAT DISTANCE HIGHT POSE A PROBLEM FOR THOSE IN THE HOSTEL WHO MIGHT GO OUT TO WORK EITHER IN OPEN EMPLOYMENT OR IN SHELTERED WORKSHOPS. HOWEVER, STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT IN THIS FIELD WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ADVICE THAT THE KUK WOULD NEED.

IN CHILD CARE SERVICES, THE KUK WANTED TO SET UP ANOTHER ONE OR TWO NURSERIES AND EXPAND ITS PRESENT ONE IN THE KWAI FONG ESTATE.

THE SETTING UP OF NEW NURSERIES, MR. LEE SAID, HAD TO BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT NOT ALL NURSERIES WERE FULL BECAUSE MORE WORKING WOMEN ARE STAYING AT HOME TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. HE ADVISED THAT BEFORE A NURSERY IS SET UP IN A PARTICULAR AREA, A STUDY SHOULD BE MADE OF THE NEED FOR SUCH PLACES IN THAT AREA. AS REGARDS THE EXPANSION OF THE NURSERY IN KWAI FONG, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WAS PROVIDING THE KUK WITH AN ADDITIONAL $40,000 SUBVENTION THIS YEAR TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY BY 50 PLACES.

TURNING TO STAFF MATTERS, THE KUK CHAIRMAN, MR. LI, SAID IT WAS PLANNED TO EXPAND THEIR ESTABLISHMENT WITH MORE PROFESSIONAL STAFF SUCH AS AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT WHOSE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS.

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE SAID THE KUK WOULD BE ABLE TO FILL THEIR VACANCIES, BUT ANY EXTRA STAFF REQUIREMENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE THOROUGHLY STUDIED AND INVESTIGATED ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO FUTURE IMPLICATIONS. HE SUGGESTED THAT INSTEAD OF EMPLOYING MORE SOCIAL WORK STAFF, IT MIGHT BE DESIRABLE TO STRENGTHEN THE KUK'S CHILD CARE STAFF. THIS COULD BE DONE BY OFFSETTING AGAINST POSTS WHICH BECOME VACANT.

THE KUK SHOULD