ENG-1954 — Page 194

SOCIAL WELFARE

relief measures not only by gifts of money but also by helping the Social Welfare Office to organize and distribute relief after squatter fires.

The Kaifong movement undoubtedly enjoys the enthusiastic support of a large proportion of the Colony's Chinese community and Kaifong leaders are eager to learn from other people ways in which they may improve their own work. In August 1954, for example, they sent a goodwill mission of 10 representa- tives to Singapore and Malaya to study the welfare work in those territories.

Emergency Relief

Emergency relief problems created by serious fires in squatter areas have kept the relief staff of the Social Welfare Office very busy for several years. During 1954, in addition to caring for over 50,000 victims of the disastrous Shek Kip Mei fire which occurred on Christmas night, 1953, the Social Welfare Office has put into operation additional relief measures for the victims of three other big squatter fires, which broke out at Tai Hang Tung, Li Cheng Uk and Tai Po Road, rendering 24,000, 7,000, and 6,000 persons homeless. In addition, I smaller fires destroyed the homes of 5,000 other squatters. Fortunately, a new kitchen for mass-cooking was completed in April 1954, which greatly facilitated the enormous task of feeding on such a scale. By the end of 1954, nearly 20 million free meals had been distributed, the daily total gradually diminishing as resettlement progressed. After each big fire, special arrangements were made for handicapped persons among the victims such as pregnant women, very young children and the aged and the infirm.

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