XN000022-1979-02-06 — Page 2

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1979

IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTARY SOCIAL SERVICES STRESSED *******

THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID ́AKERS-JONES TODAY (TUESDAY) PRAISED VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS FOR THE IR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES IN HONG KONG.

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE DIRECTORS OF PO LEUNG KUK, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, MANNED BY WELL MOTIVATED, CIVIC-MINDED AND EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEERS AND WELL QUALIFIED SOCIAL WORKERS HAD WORKED JOINTLY IN CONSULTATION AND CO-OPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT FOR MANY YEARS.

+WHILE THE GOVERNMENT TODAY ACCEPTS THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES IN HONG KONG, THE NEED FOR A VIGOROUS AND PROGRESSIVE VOLUNTARY SECTOR HERE HAS, HOWEVER, NOT DIMINISHED, HE SAID.

+ INDEED, THERE ARE VERY GOOD REASONS WHY HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH OF THIS VOLUNTARY EFFORT.

MR. AKERS-JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE HISTORY OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG REFLECTED A CONTINUING EFFORT TO PIONEER AND EXPERIMENT AND, ON THIS REMARKABLE RECORD, WOULD LIE THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT IN SOCIAL SERVICES.

THE KUK, HE SAID, STARTED IN 1878 TO PROTECT THE YOUNG AND SUPPORT THE INNOCENT AND HAD, IN ITS FIRST 100 YEARS OF ITS HISTORY, DEVELOPED FROM ITS LIMITED INITIAL ROLE INTO A SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANISATION STRETCHING OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

MR. AKERS-JONES SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO

SEE THE KUK WAS EXTENDING ITS SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+THIS IS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE BECAUSE THE NEW TERRITORIES IS GOING THROUGH A PHASE OF RAPID AND SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION WHEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTS WILL BE MOVING INTO THE NEW TOWNS AND FIND THEMSELVES IN NEW ENVIRONMENT AND UNFAMILIAR NEIGHBOURHOODS,+ HE SAID.

*THE PROCESS OF ADJUSTMENT FOR THESE NEW RESIDENTS WILL NOT BE AN EASY ONE AND THEY WILL NEED ALL THE HELP THAT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND VOLUNTARY BODIES CAN GIVE TO BUILD NEW HOMES IN NEW COMMUNITIES,+ MR. AKERS-JONES ADDED.

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