Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1958-1959 — Page 20

progress and is subject to forfeit or reduction in the same way as the award or cancellation of other privileges.

61. Trade training in carpentry, tailoring shoemaking and leather- work, rattan-weaving, gardening and horticulture, pig-keeping, and vocational hobbies are supported by primary education, physical educa- tion, organized games and sports, scouting activities, competitions, lectures, film-shows, etc., in order to provide a comprehensive curricu- lum. One day each week is set aside as an official visiting day, when the staff have the opportunity to discuss with parents and guardians the progress of their boys.

CHAPTER VIII

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF

62. Applications for assistance and advice from members of the public are investigated by case-workers at the six welfare centres run by the Relief Section of the Department, three on either side of the harbour. If the applicant is destitute he is issued with tickets entitling him and his family to receive one cooked meal a day at one of the centres. The average number of cooked meals provided every day to destitute persons during the year was 3,395 as compared with 2,472 during the previous year. Details of the various services rendered by the Section are at Appendix 14.

63. Special categories of destitutes such as the aged, the blind, cripples, and T.B. cases are given dry rations once a week, the quantity of which is enough for two meals a day. During the year dry rations have also been supplied to persons retrenched from H.M. Dockyard and H.M. Services until they have found new employment. The average number of shares of dry rations (each share being enough for two meals a day) issued per week during the year was 3,990 as against 2,306 for the previous year. (See Appendix 14).

64. The items in these diets include vegetables, rice, tea, peanut oil, salt and either meat, fish or fu yu. Details of the quantities of these items and of their average cost will be found at Appendix 15.

65. The department has two large kitchens, one on each side of the harbour, for the cooking of these meals and for the additional meals required from time to time for persons made homeless by fire, flood or rainstorm damage. 5,000 meals can be cooked in one hour.

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