ENG-1954 — Page 177

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1954

need arose for organized welfare measures, as opposed to the purely remedial services which were already existing.

In 1947 the Social Welfare Office was established and apart from taking over all the duties concerning the protection of women and children, delegated by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, it also became responsible for the development of other forms of constructive wel- fare work. The creation of the Social Welfare Office was a timely event, for soon after its establishment the social problems of the Colony were aggravated by events following the change of regime in China notably the influx into the Colony of hundreds of thousands of refugees. In addition, United Nations restrictions on trade with China and an independent and temporary United States embargo on trade with Hong Kong adversely affected local economy at a time when the physically weak, the aged, and the unskilled, were either unable or unwilling to return to their native villages in China. In the work of promoting the welfare of a population which now stands at some 2 millions, the Social Welfare Office has the co-operation of the many religious and voluntary welfare societies in the Colony.

Assisting the Social Welfare Officer in the task of co-ordinating welfare work is the Social Welfare Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Government which is composed of representatives of voluntary agencies and members of the public chosen for their experience in social work. Four sub-committees have already made recommendations on blind welfare, child care, juvenile offenders and emergency relief, while a sub-committee on moral welfare is nearing the end of its investigations. A measure of co-ordination among

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