XN000022-1975-07-11 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JULY 11, 1975

+IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES WE ARE ALL VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE BROAD SENSE- AND WHEN GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES STEP IN TO HELP THE DISTRESSED AND BEWILDERED THERE IS WIDESPREAD PUBLIC APPROVAL. THE SUCCESSFUL RECEPTION OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES REPRESENTS A GOOD EXAMPLE,+ HE SAID,

+BUT IT IS NOT JUST A QUESTION OF APPROVING IT IS ONE OF BEING PREPARED TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE AND DEVELOP AVAILABLE SERVICES. STRONG AND LASTING WELFARE PROVISIONS DEPEND UPON GOOD AND SENSIBLE GOVERNMENT IN FULL PARTNERSHIP WITH STRONG AND RESPONSIVE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHO MUST TO SOME CONSIDERABLE EXTENT BE AUTONOMOUS, RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN WORK, AND NOT OBLIGED TO RELY RETIRELY ON GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION.+

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE MOTED THAT IN THE CURRENT YEAR SUBVENTIONS STAND AT A RECORD $47.6 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF ALMOST 600 PER CENT OVER THE $8 MILLION IN 1967-68, GOVERNMENT SPENDINGS ON SOCIAL WELFARE TOO HAD RISEN FROM $35 MILLION TO $300 MILLION THIS YEAR.

+GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND RESOURCES CAN BE HARNESSED TO THE COMMON GOOD AND STRUCTURES CAN BE ESTABLISHED TO CHANNEL HELP TO WHERE IT DOES MOST GOOD. BUT IN THE END IT IS WHAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE PREPARED TO DO WHICH MARKS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PIECE OF SOCIAL MACHINERY AND A LIVING ACTIVITY,+ HE SAID.

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