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kitchens, that each individual internee be allowed to order from Hongkong stores, etc. to the value of $75 and that the balance of $17.40 a head be paid in cash so that internees could purchase a few small items at the canteen. One internee was allowed to go into Hongkong to place the orders and he arranged with a neutral firm to fill them as best they could. As the money was placed at the disposal of the camp in $100 and $50 Hongkong notes which were subject to a heavy discount, the average purchasing power of the nominal $75 was reduced to $52. Great difficulty was experienced by Messrs. Habade not only on this account, but also on account of the rapid denudation of the market of foreign foodstuffs and the soaring prices. Parcels were accordingly slow in coming in, and when we left probably only about 600 people had been served. A number of us, including my wife and myself, had not received our parcels although three months had elapsed since the grant was made.
Without wishing to minimise the value of these parcels (and for many their value was as much moral as physical) I must emphasize that these stores are quickly consumed, and that a windfall like this cannot be regarded as a proper substitute for proper rations regularly supplied.
On the medical side: a hospital was improvised in the Indian bachelor warders' quarters, and doctors allocated to the different residential blocks. A dental clinic and a babies' clinic were also established. There was no shortage of doctors and nurses among the internees, but there was a severe shortage of medical supplies, — drugs, instruments, etc. Major operations (except for the most emergency character) and dental work had to be suspended for this reason. Even crockery and table cutlery were unobtainable. After three months pressure the Japanese agreed to allow patients requiring X-ray examination to be sent to the French Hospital in Hongkong for this purpose.
Recreation: There is a good bowls lawn and lots of bowls were found on the premises, so this game was popular and regularly played. There was a certain amount of soft ball played but there was no enthusiasm for it. There were a couple of hard tennis courts, but nets, rackets and balls were worn out. Dances were held about once a week and there were occasional concerts and variety shows put on by internees. The Americans managed to bring in most of the books from their Club Library, and after the Americans left these books were placed at the disposal of a Committee for the use of the rest of the community. Apart from these, small libraries were formed in the different blocks, but the