ENG-1952 — Page 150

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1952

Social Survey and Screening

During the year 60,000 squatters were questioned in connexion with the Squatter Resettlement Scheme described on page 94. The answers given by some 70,000 squatters were anlysed, and an analysis of the figures obtained is of interest. There is a large number of children (a quarter of the squatters are under 10), and young men and women aged 25-40, but there is an exceptionally low proportion of youths and old people. Few of the squatters claim to be completely without work, but about half the men have no regular employ- ment and earn their living by undertaking casual jobs. The average income of a squatter family of 3-4 persons was found to be little more than $160-$240 (£10-£15 a month, which is sufficient to support them at a bare subsistence level. Over 90% of these squatters origin- ally came from the province of Kwangtung and the balance from other parts of China during the three or four years following the war, though a substantial number are old Hong Kong residents.

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