XN000022-1979-11-23 — Page 4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1979

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+YOUR SOCIETY WAS BORN IN 1929 A HARD YEAR BY ANY STANDARDS. IT WAS A YEAR OF DROUGHT FOR HONG KONG AND THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION WHICH GRIPPED THE WORLD. BUT THE SOCIETY'S FIRST TWO CHAIRMEN WERE TWO OF HONG KONG'S FAMOUS SONS, THE LATE SIR SHOUSON CHOW AND THE LATE SIR ROBERT KOTEWALL. WITH SUCH OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IT IS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT A VERY SOUND FOUNDATION WAS LAID FOR THE SOCIETY. NEVERTHELESS YOU STARTED OFF PRAGMATICALLY, PERHAPS HUMBL., WITH ONLY TWO DAY CLINICS, PROVIDING THE PARENTS WHO CAME TO YOU WITH ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE ON CHILD CARE, TOGETHER WITH FREE MILK AND ORANGE JUICE FOR THEIR BABIES. AFTER THE PACIFIC WAR, AND NOW UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. FRANKLIN, THE SOCIETY STARTED TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF ITS WORK MANIFOLD. TODAY YOU OPERATE NINE DAY CRECHES, TWO DAY NURSERIES, A RESIDENTIAL HOME AND A SCHOOL FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, TO BENEFIT A TOTAL OF SOME 800 NEEDY CHILDREN AT ANY ONE TIME.

+THIS VAST EXPANSION HAS COME ABOUT PARTLY WITH GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION BUT OVERWHELMINGLY BECAUSE OF THE SELFLESS AND UNTIRING EFFORTS AND DEDICATION OF THE WOMEN'S AUXILIARY, THE FUND-RAISING ARM OF YOUR SOCIETY WHICH HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE 1933. THEIR PERSUASIVE CHARM (WHICH IS BEING DEMONSTRATED FOR US ALL TO SEE TONIGHT) HAS OVER THE YEARS ENSURED THAT THE SOCIETY'S TARGETS FOR EXPANSION ARE MET. PERHAPS I MAY DESCRIBE YOUR WOMEN'S AUXILIARY AS THE FORE-RUNNERS TO WOMEN'S LIB: LIBERATING FUNDS FROM THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO NEED HELP. AND IN THE PROCESS, SETTING AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD A HAPPIER HONG KONG.

+VERY APTLY TOO, THE SOCIETY CELEBRATES ITS GOLDEN JUBILEE IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES TO CHILDREN IN THIS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD. THE UNITED NATIONS COULD NOT HAVE PICKED ON A MORE APPROPRIATE YEAR TO DEDICATE TO THIS CAUSE, AND I AM SURE THAT THIS COINCIDENCE WILL SPUR YOU TO STILL GREATER EFFORTS IN YOUR SECOND HALF CENTURY,

+YOUR PATRON, SIR MURRAY MACLE HOSE, IS ABSENT FROM HONG KONG ON A WELL EARNED LEAVE, BUT HE IS SORRY THAT HE AND LADY MACLEHOSE CANNOT BE WITH YOU TONIGHT. HOWEVER, HE HAS ASKED ME TO COMMEND YOUR SOCIETY FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, TO WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY OWN.

+MAY I WISH THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ITS FUTURE ENDEAVOURS TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN IN HONG KONG.+

DIRECTOR OF TRADE LEAVES FOR MEETINGS IN BANGKOK AND GENEVA

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THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR. PETER TSAO LEAVES HONG KONG TOMORROW (SATURDAY) FOR BANGKOK TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ESCAP COMMITTEE ON TRADE FOR ASEAN COUNTRIES AND NATIONS IN THE PACIFIC REGION.

THE ONE WEEK