E.R.
Thailand but most from Hong Kong. By the early summer of last
year, however, the exodus had reached such proportions that it was evident that only a major international effort could tackle the problems that were threatening to disrupt the countries
bordering the South China Sea. It was for this reason that the
Prime Minister took the initiative which resulted in the
Secretary General of the United Nations calling the conference
in Geneva last July to co-ordinate the response of the
international community. It was in response to this that the
Government took the major decision to accept an additional 10,000 refugees over a period to be agreed with the Governor of Hong Kong. These refugees were, of course, to be in addition
to the large numbers - over a thousand
over a thousand - rescued a few weeks
earlier by the British ships "Sibonga" and "Roachbank". These decisions called for immediate practical action by the
Government and the voluntary refugee agencies. To accommodate
the "Sibonga" and "Roachbank" refugees the Government arranged
for the opening of the former R.A.F. station at Sopley and the
use of the Home Office property at Morton Hall. The voluntary agencies for their part also responded immediately by agreeing to
/staff and