Social_Welfare_Annual_Report_1959-1960 — Page 27

57. The Special Welfare Services Section of the Department main- tains very close contact with those voluntary agencies engaged in work for the physically handicapped, keeps registers of disabled persons and concerns itself with their welfare needs. By 31st March, 1959, there were 1,270 physically handicapped persons on the departmental register, of whom some were given relief food as a temporary measure while plans were made for them to be helped to stand on their own feet; others were recommended for medical treatment or hawkers' licences or, in the case of children, for admission to Government schools. In January, vocational training classes were started in Block D of the Hung Hom Resettlement Estate-one in machine-sewing for nine trainees and the other in sock-knitting for eleven trainees, the latter in conjunction with the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation which supplied the equipment and materials. This Society was given a grant of some $1 million by the United States Government fom World Refugee Year funds for the purpose of building and equipping a pilot Rehabilitation Centre to accommodate 80 disabled patients; these are likely at first to be victims of industrial accidents who can be treated effectively over a limited period and re-employed in industry. This newly formed Society is now firmly established and building of the pilot Centre should begin during 1960. At North Point Camp, the Department continued to provide vocational training and sheltered employment for some 55 physically handicapped persons. During the year, 22 cured leprosy patients from the Hay Ling Chau Leprosarium, which now accommodates some 540 patients, were found rooms in resettlement estates after a period of training in North Point Camp, during which they were taught a trade (see paragraph 49); this helped to relieve the leprosarium for treatment of active cases.

58. The total number of deaf persons registered has reached 1,034 and registration continues. A Christmas party for 140 deaf children not in schools was organized by the Department; this was followed by another party for 45 similar children given on board the American warship U.S.S. 'Renville'. An extension of the educational facilities for deaf children may soon be expected following the laying in November of the foundation stone of the Victoria Park School for the Deaf, built by the Rotary Club East with assistance from Govern- ment. In May the report of the Sub-committee on the Welfare of the Deaf was submitted by the Social Welfare Advisory Committee to Government which approved further action on its recommendations for the development of deaf welfare services. For a start, the Depart-

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