XN000022-1984-11-08 — Page 22

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1984

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+SUCH SPECIAL NEEDS OF WIDOWS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AS CHILD- MINDING AND DOMESTIC HELP WOULD SEEM TO BE MORE APPROPRIATELY MET BY THE PROVISION OF SERVICES RATHER THAN BY CASH GRANTS, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT FOR THE CHRONICALLY SICK, THE SCHEME ALREADY PROVIDED FOR SUCH SPECIAL EXPENSES AS THE COST OF MEDICALLY- APPROVED DIETS TO BE MET BY DISCRETIONARY PAYMENTS.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE REVIEW OF THE SCHEME NOW IN PROGRESS WOULD GIVE SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION TO THOSE IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

+A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN, FOR EXAMPLE, TO WAYS IN WHICH AN ELDERLY PERSON MIGHT BE HELPED TO MAINTAIN A DEGREE OF FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE AND DIGNITY, INSTEAD OF BEING REGARDED SIMPLY AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PURPOSES,+ HE SAID.

CONSIDERATIONS HAD ALSO BEEN GIVEN TO WAYS IN WHICH A YOUNG PERSON MIGHT BE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT AND YET REMAIN AS A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY, WITHOUT THE FAMILY'S LEVEL OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BEING REDUCED TO FULLY OFFSET HIS EARNINGS.

AS TO THE QUESTION OF STREET SLEEPERS+ RAISED BY THE HON PAULINE NG, MR CHING REPORTED THAT IN A RECENT EXERCISE, NEARLY 1 000 OF THEM HAD BEEN LOCATED AND INTERVIEWED,

FIFTEEN PER CENT OF THEM SAID THEY SLEPT IN THE STREETS BECAUSE THEY LIKED DOING SO WHILE ANOTHER 50 PER CENT CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO RENT ACCOMMODATION. THIRTY PER CENT WERE EMPLOYED OR SELF-EMPLOYED, WITH AVERAGE MONTHLY EARNINGS OF JUST OVER $1 000 EACH.

+OF COURSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SLEEP IN THE STREETS WHO HAVE WELFARE NEEDS, JUST AS THERE ARE UNFORTUNATE AND NEEDY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ENJOY THE PRIVACY OF OFF-STREET SLEEPING.

+AND WOULD REMIND MRS NG THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THE VAGABONDS SHE SEES DURING THE DAY TIME, WHEN THEY ARE MOST EVIDENT, HAVE SHELTER TO RETURN TO AT NIGHT, HE SAID.

HE REPORTED THAT 30 PER CENT OF THOSE LOCATED IN THE EXERCISE WERE RECEIVING ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC FUNDS.

THE EXERCISE ALSO SHOWED ABOUT 15 PER CENT OF THOSE CONTACTED HAD UNSPECIFIED MENTAL PROBLEMS.

+ EVEN THEN