XN000022-1978-02-03 — Page 11

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1978

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WHEN A GIRL PLACED UNDER THE DIRECTOR'S GUARDIANSHIP PLANS TO GET MARRIED, THE SOCIAL WORKER ASSIGNED TO HER CASE WOULD HAVE TO FIND OUT DETAILS CONCERNING THE PROSPECTIVE GROOM.

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+ IF ALL COMES OUT TO BE SATISFACTORY I WILL SIGN MY CONSENT HER LEGAL GUARDIAN TO HER MARRIAGE, + HE ADDED.

TURNING TO BOYS WHO WERE GIVEN AWAY BY THE RED PRESENTATION DEED, HE SAID THAT THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPERVISION WAS PROVIDED, THOUGH REGISTRATION WAS ONLY VOLUNTARY.

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MR. LEE SAID AT PRESENT HE IS THE LEGAL GUARDIAN OF CHILDREN ADOPTED BY CHINESE CUSTOMARY PROCEDURES.

ON ABANDONED CHILDREN INCLUDING THOSE BY UNWED MOTHERS MR. LEE SAID +A JUVENILE COURT WOULD APPOINT ME AS THE LEGAL GUARDIAN OF THESE CHILDREN AND I MUST EXERCISE MY RIGHTS IN HELPING TO PLAN A GOOD FUTURE FOR THEM,+ HE SAID.

CHILDREN THAT ARE MENTALLY RETARDED OR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED WOULD BE PLACED UNDER THE CARE OF THE REHABILITATION CENTRES WHILE NORMAL ONES WOULD STAY AT THE CHILDREN'S HOMES UNTIL NEW PARENTS WERE FOUND FOR THEM THROUGH LEGAL ADOPTION.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT SOCIAL WORKERS OF THESE CENTRES AND HOMES HAVE TO MAKE EXTRA EFFORTS TO CONVEY TO THE CHILDREN, WHO HAVE TO GROW UP WITH THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE

NO PARENTS OF THEIR OWN, THAT THEY TOO ARE LIVING IN A WORLD OF LOVE.

IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, SOME 1,300 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE BY COURT ORDER AND 547 ARE STILL UNDER HIS GUARDIANSHIP.

FOR GIRLS OVER 16 YEARS OF AGE WHO ARE IN NEED OF CARE AND PROTECTION, THE DIRECTOR CAN ASSUME GUARDIANSHIP BY MAKING A DECLARATION.

+ INCIDENCES LIKE THIS MAY HAPPEN WHEN SHE IS FOUND TO BE TREATED WITH CRUELTY OR DISCOVERED LIKELY TO BE EXPOSED TO MORAL OR PHYSICAL DANGER, HE EXPLAINED. +UP TILL NOW, MORE THAN 400 GIRLS HAD BEEN DECLARED AS WARDS OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, AND MY GUARDIANSHIP STILL HOLDS FOR SOME 50 GIRLS.+

MR. LEE ALSO SAID THAT HIS DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS IN SUPERVISING THE WELFARE OF THESE CHILDREN WERE BUT SOME OF THE REMEDIAL ACTIONS TAKEN AFTER THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS HAD COME TO THE SURFACE.

+ I HOPE THAT WITH CONCERTED EFFORTS FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN HELP THESE UNFORTUNATE CHILDREN BY IMPROVING THE SOCIAL CLIMATE AND CONDITIONS OF HONG KONG IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE CAUSES OF THESE PROBLEMS AND PREVENT THESE SAD INCIDENCES FROM HAPPENING, HE ADDED.

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