142
94. Deducting the sums expended for accommodation in private houses and in the Jewish Centre, and for return passages to Shanghai, this works out at $2.88 per head per day including adults and children together.
95. In closing the accounts claims have been submitted by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, and by the Military Authorities for loss and deprecia- tion of stores kindly lent by them.
The
96. Linen, that is sheets, bath towels, hand towels, pillow-cases, dusters, table cloths and so forth to the value of nearly $6,000 was lent by the Hotel Com- pany. The Company stated that the articles returned would be of little use to them in their first class hotels and submitted a claim of $3,000 for depreciation. linen was inspected by the Steward, and Principal Matron, Medical Department and by the Matron of the Queen Mary Hospital and on their advice I accepted the claim as fair and reasonable.
97. The claim submitted by the Military Authorities was in the first instance for £176.8.9, but this included an item of £10.16.3 for bedding lent to the s.s. "Maron" and found deficient on the return of the ship to Hong Kong. This did not concern the Hong Kong Committee and was cut out. A few other adjustments reduced the claim to £147.3.5 which has been accepted.
98. The statement contained in my interim report of the expenditure up to 31st October omitted several items which had not been brought to account by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, and the total cost is therefore higher than was anticipated.
99. The return of the refugees to Shanghai was very protracted as no British passenger ships called at that port until January 1938. This considerably increased the cost per head as overhead expenses remained much the same whether 300 cr 200 were in residence. The claim by the Military Authorities is also very much higher than was anticipated. The losses of stores were in some ways serious. Many of them occurred during the typhoon of the night of 1st-2nd September when the refugees were almost washed out of their quarters. Sheets and blankets were used to stop up broken windows, etc., and to stay the flocd of water pouring in under every door. The opportunity for theft by coolies, etc., cleaning up next. morning, when chaos prevailed, was therefore great. There were also, I am afraid, considerable thefts by the refugees themselves, e.g., eleven electric irons have disappeared. Some of the sheets, towels, etc., were also put to improper use and later destroyed.
100. On the receipt side the sum of $17,414.81 has been repaid by the refugees, and a sum of $2,200 was refunded by Mrs. Raymond from the amount granted to her for running the separate Jewish (1
Messrs. Kay Lee refunded one-third of the cost of gas consumed ntral "ritish School amounting to $522.90.
As
101. From the sale of stores the sum of $3.255.58 has been obtained. it was intended to use the Lai Chi Kok premises as an overflow hospital for Chinese, bedding and stores were sold to the Medical
ment on valuation which I consider was fair and reasonable amounting $1,055.16. Several camp beds were sold privately for the sum of $1 each including 50 to the American School evacuated from Hankow. The auction of the remainder
eres produced $2,160.42.