Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1966-1967 — Page 45

Associations constituted within and for the direct benefit of multi-storey estates. These have increased from one to four during the past year, and are now to be found in Wong Tai Sin, Wang Tau Hom, Tsz Wan Shan and Sau Mau Ping, while a Residents' Welfare Association exists at Tin Wan. The Resettlement Department has established a direct relationship with all these associations and supports and encourages them in any practical schemes for the benefit of the settlers.

91. During 1966-67, nearly 155,000 children were attending primary schools in the estates. Although some of these are known to live else- where, the vast majority were resident in the estates. Equally, some settlers' children attend schools elsewhere, while a small proportion receive no primary education even although there may be vacancies available close to their homes. The reasons for this appear to be mainly economic, the children being required either to add to the family income, or to look after their younger brothers and sisters while both parents are at work.

92. The rents charged to schools and voluntary agencies were reviewed during the year, since clearly there was an anomaly in the nominal charge of $1 for rooftop accommodation in the early estates, compared with the rents for premises in the later Marks which varied according to the type of block and size of accommodation. An amend- ment to the Resettlement Regulations (also mentioned in paragraph 24) has provided since 1st April, 1967 a uniform rent of $1 per month for all premises allocated in resettlement estates for use as schools or for non-profit-making charitable or welfare purposes, irrespective of size and location. The competent authorities allocate premises as schools or for welfare activities on the advice of the Education and Social Welfare Departments.

93. The community centre at Tsuen Wan is mentioned in paragraph 89. There are three others conveniently located to serve resettlement populations at Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Tai Hang Tung. Each is a six-storey building with an assembly hall on the ground floor and such facilities or activities on other floors as day nurseries, libraries, clubs for disabled children and hobby or other clubs for adults and young people. The centres are run by the Social Welfare Department, but many of the projects housed in them are managed by voluntary agencies.

94. Recreation areas are included from the beginning in the layout of resettlement estates. These may take a variety of forms such as pitches for football, basket-ball and other forms of active recreation, children's

35

Page 45Page 46