SOCIAL WELFARE
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mothers and conduct domestic classes for some 400 women in their districts.
Three women's welfare clubs, aiming at the promotion of fundamental education for women to enable them to earn a livelihood or raise their standards of living, the provision of facilities for the improvement of women's health, and the encouragement of more active participation by women in social welfare and other civic work, were formed during the year. This is a new departure in welfare activity. Classes in home-economics, and two literary classes, have already been started by these clubs, for women in their districts.
Community Centres, as such, do not exist in Hong Kong, although there are two multi-functional centres managed by the Children's Playgrounds Association which bear some resemblance to them, with playgrounds, football pitches, stadia for sports and for showing educational films, economy canteens, children's libraries, and floor-space for several wel- fare organizations. St. James's Settlement, run by the Anglican Church, also forms the nucleus of a community centre, consisting of a parents' centre (with library, clinic and games room), seven mixed clubs for 230 boys and girls, a mothers' club, and adult education classes.
Emergency Relief
Although there has been no squatter fire comparable in magnitude to the one which devastated Tai Hang Tung in July last year, rendering 24,000 persons homeless, a variety of disasters—a freak storm in the fishing town of Cheung Chau, floods in Yuen Long and Tsun Wan, collapses of old houses in congested urban areas, fires in tenements, and 8 major and 30 minor fires in squatter areas-all necessitated emer- gency relief measures by the Social Welfare Office, assisted by voluntary agencies. 34,749 victims were registered by relief staff; 2,758,759 free meals and 68,976 dry rations were distributed. Clothing and blankets were issued either by the British Red Cross Society or by the Church World Service, and the distribution of non-government relief, consisting mainly of rice or cash grants, was undertaken by Kaifongs.
Public Assistance
The Colony's rapid industrialization has partially eased the burden imposed by the swollen population, by assimilat- ing a proportion of those who are of working age, especially
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