ENG-1952 — Page 146

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1952

foundation stone of the new youth centre which Her Majesty the Queen has graciously allowed to be named the 'Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre'. This building, which has plentiful accommodation for a number of social agencies, has large covered and open playgrounds attached to it. It will be run under the supervision of the Children's Playground Association, and will be the Kowloon counterpart to the War Memorial Centre and Southorn Playground on Hong Kong Island.

At the end of the year there were between 3,000 and 3,500 orphans and deprived children being cared for in 21 voluntary orphanages, many of which received grants from Government. The largest organization in the Colony undertaking this work is the Christian Children's Fund Incorporated which is financed by local donations, and by funds raised by the organization in the United States. It cares for 2,300 children in its own orphan- ages, besides giving financial aid to other local

orphanages.

The Social Welfare Office, together with the Police, undertake the enforcement of laws which have abolished the "muitsai" system and prevented trafficking in and ill-treatment of women and children. Girls adopted in the Colony are statutory wards of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, and the welfare of these girls is the responsibility of the Social Welfare Office.

A welcome addition to the voluntary work in the Colony is the establishment of a home for the rehabilita- tion of juvenile prostitutes. It is run by the Catholic Sisters of the Good Shepherd who are qualified social workers, with many years experience in moral welfare work. They came to the Colony from Shanghai when

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