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pentry, weaving, gardening, laundry work, domestic duties and minor repairs to prison buildings. Months of work by gangs of hundreds of prisoners were required during 1946 to clear Stanley of the rubbish and filth left behind by the Japanese. In addition the limited available level ground, which had deteriorated into a wilderness, was transformed into a thriving and productive market garden with a piggery and poultry farm in their early stages nearby.
Prison Staff.
During the battle for Hong Kong, the whole European and most of the Indian prison staff were mobilised as a fighting unit of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. The Euro- pean staff suffered heavy casualties, eight officers out of sixty- four being killed. The remainder were interned. At the re-occupation, those who had been in prison camps resumed duty, although many of them were unfit for service. The worst cases were quickly repatriated, but a nucleus of British prison officers stayed on until the department was once again on its feet, and much praise is due to their work. The repatriation of the British and Indian staff was completed in October, 1945, and the Prison at Stanley was handed over as a going concern to the military authorities. Three British prison officers returned from retirement or leave, and with the assistance of prison officers from Shanghai the Prison was able to fulfil its functions under the Military Administration. Bri- tish prison officers began to return from recuperative leave in April, 1946, and all the functions of the department were gradually taken over from the military. With the resumption of Civil Government, it was found that even when all subor- dinate British officers had returned the establishment was still more than 50% under strength; by local recruitment during the year the number of officers was brought to 31 out of an establishment of 55. The shortage of trained British staff was a serious difficulty and it was impossible to replace satisfac- torily with temporary local recruits the trained Indian staff. The return of the Indian staff is expected shortly, and a British prison officer is being sent to India to assist their return. Many of these Indian warders were outstandingly loyal and courage- ous during the occupation, and though a small minority of the former staff of 220 were reported for cruelty to Allied prisoners in Stanley, the Indian staff on balance acquitted themselves well under very difficult conditions.