ENG-1949 — Page 109

ments including the provision of a cross-harbour tunnel, land reclamations, the re-siting of the railway, the removal of military establishments and the creation of industrial and residential zones. These recommendations are now being studied with a view to the preparation of an interim outline plan for the whole Colony. It is clear that such expensive proposals cannot all be implemented at once but progress has been made in implementing such parts of the recommen- dations as can be put into effect at present. Town planning legislation is also being drafted.

On the mainland the development of Tsun Wan as an industrial satellite and Luen Wo as a market centre has begun. The former provides factory sites outside the present congested urban area and should develop into a complete community. The latter, being a completely new village, will provide better living and working conditions than exist in the older centres. Plans have been prepared for the development of other New Territories villages including Shek Wu Hui and Sheung Shui. In the urban area building has been encouraged on the lines of the Report and develop- ment schemes are being prepared for the areas between Kowloon and the hills to the north, particularly at Kowloon Tong north of Kai Tak and at Kung Tong.

Large scale traffic control layouts for dealing with the increasing congestion in Victoria and Kowloon have been considered and some of these have been approved by the Traffic Department and put into effect. It is apparent that what has been done in this direction can only be considered as stop gap measures; nothing short of completely new traffic arteries can solve the chronic traffic problems of Victoria and Kowloon.

SOCIAL WELFARE

Urban Community Development

Relief work of a more productive and long term character than has previously been the case was performed during 1949 in various fields. In January it was suggested to some of the neighbours of a government social welfare centre in the densely crowded Shamshuipo area that they might interest themselves in helping to rehabilitate the underprivileged of their own district who attended that centre. Several commercial and industrial leaders in the same district then saw the possibilities of still more pro- gressive neighbourhood work and started to plan a new Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare Association. During the following months the idea spread to other districts, helped on in part by the unsolicited enthusiasm of the Chinese Press. By the end of the year there were twelve major urban districts which had started their own kaifong welfare associa-

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