ENG-1953 — Page 140

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953

most valuable in the after care of individual fire victims, in giving loans, in arbitrating in family disputes caused by squatter fires, by admitting pregnant women into their own maternity homes, giving general advice and providing a free letter writing service. The women members have lately taken on a new task of health-visiting on behalf of Kaifong Association clinics, and also the running of sewing classes for the education of young mothers in their districts. During the Coronation celebrations, the Kaifong Associations helped the Social Welfare Office and the Standing Conference of Youth Organizations to organize entertainments for over 30,000 under-privileged

children.

Child Welfare. Protection of women and children especially by preventing trafficking, by investigating suspected cases of ill-treatment, and by suppressing the "muitsai" system is handled by the Social Welfare Officer on behalf of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. This work is carried out under statutory provisions which are mainly embodied in the Protec- tion of Women and Juveniles Ordinance, 1951. This Ordinance also brings under the control of the Social Welfare Officer those girls who have been parted permanently from their parents or who, as adopted daughters, are ipso facto wards of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. The total number of children whose welfare is being thus supervised (including boys whose adoptions have been voluntarily registered) is about 4,000. Plans are now being made to provide for a rapid expansion in this work and also to foster the increasing cooperation with the 35 children's institutions in the Colony. A survey of many of these voluntary institutions has been made by a Children's Officer, who in January returned from training in Child Care in the United Kingdom, '

Moral Welfare. This work which has developed from the carrying out of responsibilities under the Protection of Women and Juveniles Ordinance 1951, is concerned primarily with the

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