Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1948-1954 — Page 18

out the period under review there was also a steady increase in the degree of co-operation between the Scouts, Guides, and Cubs.

27. In 1950 the Children's Playgrounds Association re- covered from a period of stagnation, thanks in large measure to the leadership of Sir Arthur Morse. The Children's Play- grounds Association in its War Memorial Welfare Centre in Wanchai, demonstrated to Hong Kong for the first time how effectively a number of welfare organizations could share the use of one properly-designed building. Five of these organiza- tions had permanent offices or case-centres there, whilst a number of others were freely given the courtesy of the use of the centre's rooms from time to time. The centre's manage- ment committee-which included the Social Welfare Office's Principal Youth Welfare Officer-was responsible for super- vising the free use of the adjoining Southorn Playground, and the rent and use of the Centre's covered basketball court. The management committee also experimented in developing the centre's facilities still further for the benefit of underprivileged children, by organizing Christmas and other parties, by the provision of nourishing meals at a price of 40 cents and 20 cents (i.e. 6d. and 3d.) with the help of a subsidy from the Social Welfare Office, by running the first children's Chinese library (a generous gift this, from the Hong Kong Junior Chamber of Commerce) and making free shower-baths avail- able once a week for the hundreds of street children who wished to use them. Later in 1953 the Children's Playgrounds Association opened another multi-functional welfare centre in Mong Kok, Kowloon, known as the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre and run on the same lines as the War Memorial Centre.

28. Early in 1951 Hong Kong was visited by Mr. Dahl, travelling Commissioner from the Boy Scouts Imperial Head- quarters. He came to make a close study of the existing organization and activities of the local Boy Scouts Association, and as part of this work he made a study of all the local youth services.

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