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This work, which would have taken considerable time in normal times, was rendered most difficult by the absence of transport. The Royal Navy had first call on the small and badly damaged transport which the Japanese had left, while many civilian departments felt that they had a claim for transport as pressing, if not superior to, food control. There were also insufficient guards available immediately to prevent small scale looting, but there was no looting from the main godown areas by the Chinese. The search for food dumps and the transportation of supplies to safe central areas was conducted with all the speed that the lack of transport permitted, and still goes on apace.
Until stocks are centralised and staff is released for assessment, only approximate estimates of foodstuffs can be given,
Stocks available, according to the books of the civilian Japanese sources at the time of surrender, showed the following:-
Rice Peanut 011
Salt
Beans
Sugar Flour
Tons. 4,400
142
1,050
100 6
These items, however, only constituted one part of the stocks held by the Japanese. It was impossible to ascertain from the civilian authorities the extent or places of disposal of Military and Naval stocks if any.
The stocks held in Kowloon were to some extent dispersed by the Japanese while they held Kowloon, and before the Peninsula was taken over by the British armed forces,
Such stocks of foreign goods as were available were used for feeding essential services which had been brought in from Stanley, and in supplementing fresh food rations, such as meat and vegetables, which were purchased on the local market for ex-interness,
Stocks
Since stocks have not yet been completely centralised it is not possible to give an accurate picture of stocks in the Colony. held by private traders, which probably are not great, camot be ascertained with any degree of certainty. The following figures, therefore, must be accepted as being merely approximate. Only essentiël foodstuffs are considered,
Rice Peanut 011
Salt
Sugar
Beans Flour
6,250 tons.
142
#
1,052
#
នន
30
響
105
30
Less 300 tons off-take
This is now over four years old and must be considered useless.
3. AUGMENTATION OF STOCKS FROM LOCAL SOURCES.
The Food Control Department endeavoured from the beginning of its activities to augment local stocks by calling on sources of supply near at hand, particularly the Delta of the West River, Offers of help were received from the Governor of Macau and from ChungFat Chung, Governor of the Chung Shan District, which is particularly rich in the native products required by Hong Kong. There were three methods of transportation into Hong Kong - by road, rail, and water. Such transportation as was
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/available
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