HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I am by no means sure that it would necessarily be wise to add to our services a Cadet Force in uniform if by this Mr. LOBO envisages something like the Army Cadet Force in Britain. I can imagine that there might be some objections of principle, and also of course, with the kind of equipment that seems to be implied in his suggestions, it could be relatively costly and might cater for only a comparatively limited number. Moreover the instructors for driving, wireless telegraphy, shooting, vehicle maintenance, mountain rescue etc. would substantially have to come from military resources, and although the services have shown themselves to be extremely willing, I think we must remember that they have their own training commitments to carry out during the year as well as other obligations. On the other hand it seems to me not impossible that a service like the Civil Aid Services which has shown itself so useful and so versatile might be able to develop some kind of cadet group, perhaps on an experimental basis initially. At any rate Mr. LOBO's suggestions are, as I have said, challenging and positive and I am sure that they will provoke serious thought. Meantime I hope that, even if the kind of camps the Army helped to provide cannot become an all year round activity, we may be able to secure some extension, for there is no doubt that those who took part in these camps enjoyed the experience, and I am quite sure that they benefitted considerably from them.
Concern for our young people was implied also in Mr. Ne's very fleeting reference to the abuse of boarding houses, a subject which was aired at greater length in last year's debate, following which, and with the approval of the Colonial Secretariat, I formed and chaired a working party to consider a number of questions relating to the use of boarding houses and similar establishments by young people for immoral purposes. There is not time to deal extensively today with our findings but proposals have been made for legislation, not to license boarding houses, but to impose limitations and state requirements as to their use by young persons, and to constitute certain offences with regard to their hiring and use. We have also made some proposals on the use of licensed premises by young persons and the employment of young persons in them. Approval for drafting of legislation has been given, though again the question of priority arises. I have recently asked for fresh consideration of the priority of this item.
Mr. LOBO has referred to the apparent increase in begging and to the methods that some beggars use to call attention to themselves, and he has asked if the Social Welfare Department and other bodies cannot do something about these people who, in his words, are taking advantage of our hard-pressed police. I think that most people would agree that there is more begging in our main commercial and entertainment areas and in some of the principal traffic centres than there used to be. The situation was even worse at one time during the summer, especially around the Star Ferry; but even if there has been some slight improvement recently it is certainly nothing to be complacent about. Unfortunately I do not think I can hold out any hopes of early or rapid change in the scene. The problems associated with begging have from time to time engaged the attention of several Government departments and voluntary agencies. Difficult at any time, the situation is particularly difficult at present, when it is far from clear to what extent begging is due to mere opportunism and to what extent it is due to a greater amount of actual destitution.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The Social Welfare Department does from time to time send case-workers out to contact people who are begging with a view to finding out the causes for their begging, and offering service to those who appear to have a genuine need that we can meet either through relief or training or finding employment or compassionate resettlement. Success unfortunately is rather limited, often because the response we are able to obtain is minimal; quite often an offer of help is rejected. My officers, of course, do not have any powers of arrest nor can we compel anyone either to come with us or go by themselves to an office where consultation can take place more conveniently than it can in the street, nor can anyone be compelled to accept such help as we can offer.
I am sorry to say that some, at least, of those who were begging during recent months, have been people already in receipt of service from the Social Welfare Department or the voluntary agencies.
Despite the lack of any very concrete results from joint consultation that has taken place in the past, I believe that we must apply ourselves to these problems afresh, and though I cannot at the moment indicate what positive lines of action may develop I can say that discussions have been reopened at a high level in which the Police, other departments, and the voluntary field are involved.
Mr. Li Yiu-bor has referred to the shortage of funds for social welfare work and has noted that only a bit over 1% of our budget is devoted to social welfare. I can confirm that the figure he quoted is valid; in terms of recurrent expenditure as a percentage of total recurrent expenditure the figure is actually 1.5%. Capital expenditure is, as members probably know, separately financed by the Lotteries Fund, from which since 1st January, releases to a total of over $3.3 millions have been approved. The trouble with talking about percentages is that it is not in my opinion all that helpful; even if my 1.5% looks as if it was very low, any action to increase my share of the 100% which is all that is available means decreasing someone else's share of that percentage. If my 1% is to become 3%, 5% or whatever figure you choose other shares have to be diminished, but whose? Is housing to receive a lower percentage, or education or health? Or public safety or the revenue collecting departments on which all our expenditure
Page 203 of 259
380
259
Page 202 of 259
378
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
I am by no means sure that it would necessarily be wise to add to our services a Cadet Force in uniform if by this Mr. LOBO envisages something like the Army Cadet Force in Britain. I can imagine that there might be some objections of principle, and also of course, with the kind of equipment that seems to be implied in his suggestions, it could be relatively costly and might cater for only a comparatively limited number. Moreover the instructors for driving, wireless tele- graphy, shooting, vehicle maintenance, mountain rescue etc. would sub- stantially have to come from military resources, and although the services have shown themselves to be extremely willing, I think we must remember that they have their own training commitments to carry out during the year as well as other obligations. On the other hand it seems to me not impossible that a service like the Civil Aid Services which has shown itself so useful and so versatile might be able to develop some kind of cadet group, perhaps on an experimental basis initially. At any rate Mr. LOBO's suggestions are, as I have said, chal- lenging and positive and I am sure that they will provoke serious thought. Meantime I hope that, even if the kind of camps the Army helped to provide cannot become an all year round activity, we may be able to secure some extension, for there is no doubt that those who took part in these camps enjoyed the experience, and I am quite sure that they benefitted considerably from them.
poses.
Concern for our young people was implied also in Mr. Ne's very fleeting reference to the abuse of boarding houses, a subject which was aired at greater length in last year's debate, following which, and with the approval of the Colonial Secretariat, I formed and chaired a working party to consider a number of questions relating to the use of boarding houses and similar establishments by young people for immoral pur- There is not time to deal extensively today with our findings but proposals have been made for legislation, not to license boarding houses, but to impose limitations and state requirements as to their use by young persons, and to constitute certain offences with regard to their hiring and use. We have also made some proposals on the use of licensed premises by young persons and the employment of young persons in them. Approval for drafting of legislation has been given, though again the question of priority arises. I have recently asked for fresh consideration of the priority of this item.
Mr. LOBO has referred to the apparent increase in begging and to the methods that some beggars use to call attention to themselves, and he has asked if the Social Welfare Department and other bodies cannot do something about these people who, in his words, are taking advantage of our hard-pressed police. I think that most people would agree that there is more begging in our main commercial and entertainment areas and in some of the principal traffic centres than there used to be. The situation was even worse at one time during the summer, especially
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
379
around the Star Ferry; but even if there has been some slight improve- ment recently it is certainly nothing to be complacent about. Unfor- tunately I do not think I can hold out any hopes of early or rapid change in the scene. The problems associated with begging have from time to time engaged the attention of several Government departments and voluntary agencies. Difficult at any time, the situation is particular- ly difficult at present, when it is far from clear to what extent begging is due to mere opportunism and to what extent it is due to a greater amount of actual destitution.
The Social Welfare Department does from time to time send case- workers out to contact people who are begging with a view to finding out the causes for their begging, and offering service to those who appear to have a genuine need that we can meet either through relief or training or finding employment or compassionate resettlement. Success unfortunately is rather limited, often because the response we are able to obtain is minimal; quite often an offer of help is rejected. My officers, of course, do not have any powers of arrest nor can we compel anyone either to come with us or go by themselves to an office where consultation can take place more conveniently than it can in the street, nor can anyone be compelled to accept such help as we can offer.
I am sorry to say that some, at least, of those who were begging during recent months, have been people already in receipt of service from the Social Welfare Department or the voluntary agencies.
Despite the lack of any very concrete results from joint consultation that has taken place in the past, I believe that we must apply ourselves to these problems afresh, and though I cannot at the moment indicate what positive lines of action may develop I can say that discussions have been reopened at a high level in which the Police, other depart- ments, and the voluntary field are involved.
Mr. Li Yiu-bor has referred to the shortage of funds for social welfare work and has noted that only a bit over 1% of our budget is devoted to social welfare. I can confirm that the figure he quoted is valid; in terms of recurrent expenditure as a percentage of total recurrent expenditure the figure is actually 1.5%. Capital expenditure is, as members probably know, separately financed by the Lotteries Fund, from which since 1st January, releases to a total of over $3.3 millions have been approved. The trouble with talking about percentages is that it is not in my opinion all that helpful; even if my 1.5% looks as if it was very low, any action to increase my share of the 100% which is all that is available means decreasing someone else's share of that percentage. If my 1% is to become 3%, 5% or whatever figure you choose other shares have to be diminished, but whose? Is housing to receive a lower percentage, or education or health? Or public safety or the revenue collecting departments on which all our expenditure
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.