ENG-1959 — Page 33

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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

facilities for the care of crippled children by additions to the Children's (Orthopaedic) Convalescent Home at Sandy Bay; and finally a Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled, a facility which is much needed at the present time.

Two smaller projects, which might appeal to donors whose funds are limited, complete the official list. The first is to provide a school library service to assist poorer students to obtain access to the books they need without excessive cost; and last (a new proposal added after the original list was produced) for a Children's Reception Centre to care for abandoned babies and children available for adoption, pending the completion of arrange- ments for placing them in the care of new parents.

A further word of warning as to the intentions behind the preparation of this list is perhaps necessary. Certainly it is highly desirable to co-ordinate World Refugee Year activities as far as possible if Hong Kong is to derive the maximum benefit, but the official list consists only of strongly recommended suggestions and it is not by any means intended to be exclusive. The Hong Kong Government's attitude in this matter may be summed up by saying that it greatly prefers these projects, or projects which expand or complement them, because they arise from a careful assessment of the problem; but it is recognized that other people may have different ideas. The general feeling is, therefore, that any money that comes into Hong Kong and is spent in a careful and intelligent manner contributes to the common good; and that it is by no means necessary or desirable to attempt to exercise any great degree of centralized control over the spending of World Refugee Year funds.

As events have turned out, donors have already given a gratify- ing amount of support to the official list. In chronological order of announcement of the gifts, the British Red Cross Society has given £10,000 to the Society for the Relief of Disabled Children for improvements to the Orthopaedic Department of the Children's (Orthopaedic) Convalescent Home at Sandy Bay; the Government of the United States of America has given HK$1.15 million to construct and equip the first of the Community Centres, and this building is now several storeys high; the United Kingdom National Committee has announced that they will allocate £129,000 to Hong Kong from the donations which they have collected or have