XN000022-1976-05-17 — Page 3

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MONDAY, MAY 17, 1976

IMPORTANCE OF FUND RAISING STRESSED

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THE WILLINGNESS OF A COMMUNITY TO GIVE. AND TO ORGANISE ITSELF TO DO SO, IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ITS HEALTH AS A COMMUNITY AND A MOST PRACTICAL FORM OF PERSONAL PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON UNITED FUND RAISING FOR SOCIAL WORK SERVICES. THE FOUR-DAY MEETING IS ORGANISED BY THE COMMUNITY CHEST OF HONG KONG AT THE FURAMA HOTEL.

FOR THIS REASON, SIR MURRAY SAID, FUND RAISING AND THE TECHNIQUES OF FUND RAISING HAVE A VITAL FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL PART TO PLAY.

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

+MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

+ I HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN WELCOMING YOU TO THIS THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON UNITED FUND RAISING FOR SOCIAL WORK SERVICES. FUND RAISING AND UNITED FUND RAISING PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE LIFE OF HONG KONG. WE THEREFORE GREATLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY THIS FORUM GIVES US TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES AND LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS.

+AS HONG KONG GREW AND AS REQUIREMENTS EXPANDED SO TOO DID THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WITH THEIR COMMON GOALS BUT ALSO THEIR COMPETITION FOR DONATED FUNDS. IT WAS TO MEET THIS SITUATION THAT THE COMMUNITY CHEST WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1968 TO OFFER A STRONG UNITED FUND RAISING ORGANISATION.

+A FEW VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE PREFERRED TO REMAIN OUTSIDE THE CHEST AND SOME OF THESE, AND IN PARTICULAR THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE CHARITIES, RAISE VERY SIGNIFICANT SUMS AND PLAY A VITAL ROLE OVER A WIDE FIELD OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. NEVERTHELESS THE COMMUNITY CHEST HAS NOW ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS THE PRINCIPAL UNITED FUND RAISING ORGANISATION, IT HAS SOUGHT WITH SOME SUCCESS TO INVOLVE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OF BOTH RICH AND POOR IN THE PROCESS OF FUND RAISING, AND IT IS THE PRINCIPAL PROVIDER OF SUBSCRIBED CHARITABLE FUNDS. I AM SURE THAT ITS EXPERIENCE AND THE TECHNIQUES IT EMPLOYS WILL FIGURE AMONG THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE HONG KONG DELEGATION CAN MAKE TO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS CONFERENCE.

/+SOME PEOPLE