ENG-1949 — Page 110

tions with the intention of combining what was adaptable from western community or neighbourhood associations with some of the long-established Chinese social traditions of kaifong. The total membership had risen by December to nearly 8,000, including a very large proportion of shop- keepers, artisans, and in two districts boat people, as well as leading businessmen. The genuine kaifong welfare associations have been encouraged to stand on their own feet and to prove themselves by the performance of as much practical work as possible. Their aims and objects have so far been confined to some of the social problems connected with education, public health, cultural development, recrea- tion, relief work, family welfare, and all other necessary social welfare work. They are non-political and membership is open to all adults living or working permanently in the association's district. The business of all these associations is conducted in Cantonese, since many of the members speak no other language, and this has meant that very few non- Chinese have felt able to take part.

Vulnerable Groups

In spite of civil war and economic disasters in nearby parts of China and of the unrestricted immigration of Chinese into the Colony, there were no signs in Hong Kong of anything approaching widespread starvation during 1949. There was severe poverty, desperate overcrowding, and the scourge of tuberculosis, but very few cases indeed of the appalling economic distress which might reasonably have been expected.

was

Non-residential work for the relief of distress carried on by very large numbers of Chinese charitable or social organisations and by four other independent voluntary organisations. Most of the assistance given was in the form of foodstuffs to be taken home, ready-made clothing, intro- ductions for employment, payment of school fees or the provision of free schools for destitute children, free repatria- tion and outright grants of money. The Social Welfare Office also kept six welfare centres open every day where one substantial free meal a day was issued and eaten on the spot by destitute adults genuinely unable to seek work and by any destitute child. The daily average attendance was a little under two thousand, of whom 60% were children. At some of these centres co-operative ventures were started for certain of the adults, and children's clubs and vocational training organised for as many of the children as possible. Two residential camps were also directly administered by the Social Welfare Officer; one at North Point was in part a public assistance institution, and the other at Morrison Hill an experiment in community living for over 200 very poor

persons.

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