at the Begonia Road Boys' Home as well as an inter-institutional sports meet which lasted one whole day.
VOLUNTARY WORK
61. Offenders who might be described as 'socially handicapped' are as much in need of welfare services as others who are handicapped in another way. In this connection officers of the Probation Section do their share of liaison work with relevant voluntary societies-to the mutual benefit of both sides. Apart from informal contacts, officers serve as advisers or observers on committees and, as in all these relationships, the closeness of contact and level of help and advice will vary from one to the other and from year to year.
62. The Society of Boys' Centres has at present a combined boarding institution for a little over one hundred boys and a day club for about another sixty. Its aim is to help boys from poor families between 8 and 16 years of age whose home conditions are such that they are in danger of forming anti-social habits.
63. The Society has now taken on the responsibility in Kowloon for 'street boys' previously cared for by the British Commonwealth Save the Children Fund at their Norway Hostel in Tai Kok Tsui. For this purpose a temporary hostel has been rented in Ma Tau Chung Road, pending the availability of more permanent accommodation at Un Chau Street next year.
64. The Hong Kong Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society and its affiliated agencies, the Salvation Army and Caritas, have as their objects the long-term rehabilitation of prisoners. All prisoners are interviewed at the earliest possible moment in their imprisonment, so that, if they wish to avail themselves of what can be offered, as much time as possible is available for making an effective plan for the prisoner and his family. In October the Society added a second social therapy centre to its existing three hostels and the hostel for drug addicts. The latter was opened in April 1965 for ex-prisoners who have been readdicted after leaving prison; they may stay there for two months under the supervi- sion of a qualified doctor. The Wan Chai Social Therapy Centre which was opened in the autumn of 1966, is similar to that maintained by the Society at Tung Tau; each seeks to provide for such fundamental needs as shelter, work and food, and aims to help in healing the breach between the prisoner and his family if one exists, or leading him back
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