XN000022-1977-06-04 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1977

600 APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM UNEMPLOYED

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED ABOUT 600 APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM UNEMPLOYED ABLE- BODIED PEOPLE BETWEEN 15 AND 55 YEARS OF AGE SINCE APRIL 1.

OF THESE, 144 WERE FROM SINGLE PERSONS ON THEIR OWN AND 460 FROM PEOPLE LIVING WITH THEIR FAMILIES. ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

OF THE 394 APPLICANTS WHO TURNED UP AT THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE, 54 HAVE ALREADY TAKEN UP EMPLOYMENT WHILE 25 HAVE FOUND WORK OF THEIR OWN ACCORD.

THOSE WHO DID NOT REPORT TO THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE WITHOUT GOOD REASONS WOULD BE DISQUALIFIED FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

MR. LU YU-HUA, HEAD OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED SO FAR HAD NOT BEEN MANY. +THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE PRESENT ECONOMIC SITUATION IN HONG KONG,+ HE EXPLAINED.

TURNING TO THE PAYMENT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, MR. LU SAIDI +IF THE APPLICANTS FAIL TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT FOR ONE MONTH AFTER THE DATE OF APPLICATION, THE IR MONTHLY ENTITLEMENT WILL START FROM THE FIRST DAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH.

+HOWEVER, PAYMENT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WILL BE CALCULATED FROM THE DATE OF APPLICATION.

COPIES OF A LEAFLET EXPLAINING THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME ARE OBTAINABLE FROM ALL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE URBAN AREA, DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES AND SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

THE ADDRESSES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF ALL THE 26 SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS ARE ALSO LISTED IN THE LEAFLET.

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