XN000022-1975-09-01 — Page 2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1975.

SOCIAL WELFARE CONVENTION BEGINS

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THE FIVE-DAY CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SOCIAL WELFARE (ICSW) WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED THIS (MONDAY) MORNING AT THE CITY HALL BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.

IN WELCOMING THE 400-ODD DELEGATES FROM 20 COUNTRIES, SIR MURRAY SAID HONG KONG OFFERED AN APPROPRIATE BACKDROP FOR THE CONFERENCE WHOSE THEME IS 'SOCIAL PLANNING FOR GROWING CITIES.'

WHILE THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG'S GROWTH WERE NOT. UNIQUE, HE NOTED. THAT THE RATE OF URBANIZATION HERE HAD BEEN GREATER, DESPITE LIMITED SPACE, AND ADDED TO THIS HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC INFASTRUCTURE HAD DEEN COMPLETELY AT THE MERCY OF EXTERNAL FACTORS.

LIKE OTHER GOVERNMENTS, HONG KONG HAD CONFRONTED THE MANY DEFICIENCIES THAT RESULTED, SUCH AS HOUSING, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, AND LAW AND ORDER, AND DESPITE THE IMMENSITY OF THE TASKS THAT REMAINED, THE ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR HAD BEEN SIGNIFICANT.

THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WOULD TAKE TIME AND GREAT EXPENSE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN OLD URBAN AREAS, BUT HE NOTED THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO APPLY FROM THE OUTSET AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SOCIAL PLANNING IN THE NEW TOWNS PLANNED.

THE FIVE-DAY CONVENTION, KNOWN AS THE 1975 REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR ASIA AND WESTERN PACIFIC OF THE ICSW, IS HOSTED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE.

FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:-

+ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG I WELCOME THE COUNCIL'S OFFICIALS AND OVERSEAS VISITORS. AND WISH YOU ALL AN ENJOYABLE AND SUCCESSFUL STAY IN OUR CITY. I THINK YOU WILL FIND IT AN AGREEABLE AND STIMULATING PLACE IN WHICH TO HOLD YOUR CONFERENCE.

+THERE CAN CERTAINLY BE NO CITY IN THE WORLD WHICH CAN OFFER A MORE APPROPRIATE BACKDROP FOR A CONFERENCE WHOSE THEME IS SOCIAL PLANNING FOR GROWING CITIES+,

+THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG'S GROWTH ARE NOT UNIQUE, AND INDEED ARE SHARED BY MANY CITIES IN THE PACIFIC REGION, AND STEM FROM AN INFLUX OF RURAL POPULATION ON A SCALE TOO GREAT FOR THE GOVE INMENT AND SOCIETY TO SUPPORT ADEQUATELY.

+BUT IN HONG KONG THE INFLUX HAS BEEN GREATER, THE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR IT HAS BEEN SMALLER AND THE ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE ON WHICH SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT ALIKE HAVE TO DEPEND HAS BEEN COMPLETELY AT THE MERCY OF EXTERNAL FACTORS - PRINCIPALLY THE STATE OF EXPORT MARKETS IN AMERICA, EUROPE AND JAPAN.

/LIKE OTHER ..........