Kuk, besides its work for children which is referred to in paragraph 22, provides a refuge for unmarried mothers and their children who so badly need special consideration and sympathetic care. 23 unmarried mothers were looked after in the Kuk during the year.
37. 2,412 emigrants were screened by the Special Welfare Services Section in accordance with the requirements of the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance, No. 30 of 1915, the purpose of which is mainly to prevent trafficking in women and children. The departure of five juvenile emi- grants was notified to the Department of Social Welfare in Singapore, in order that they might be looked after on arrival. Particulars of emigrants are at Appendix 19.
CHAPTER VIII
PROBATION
38. The Probation Section is responsible for the operation of the Probation Service and for running two institutions, the Approved School for Boys at Castle Peak and the Remand Home in Kowloon. In addition, a close association is maintained with the Shanghai Street Children's Centre to which a probation officer is seconded as superin- tendent. Particulars of the Ordinances under which the Probation Section works are given at Appendix 1.
39. In addition to offices at the Magistracies on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, probation officers attend the Magistrate's Courts at Tai Po and Ping Shan in the New Territories. They are also available to the District Courts and the Supreme Court when required. The two Probation Committees for Hong Kong Island and Kowloon met twice during the year. These Committees consist of all the Magistrates of the area together with certain Justices of the Peace nominated by the Governor, with the probation staff in attendance.
40. Probation officers continued to assist the Courts in selected cases of failure to pay fines or to fulfil other financial obligations. In many of these cases supervision was exercised during the periods of time allowed by the Court for instalments to be paid, in addition to inquiries and reports in each case. During the year there were 49 cases of this kind.
41. The number of current probation cases was 362 at the end of the year as against 240 on 31st March, 1959. As is shown by the partic- ulars of the 176 completed cases given in Appendix 11, 78.4% satis-
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