III.
HOUSING
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64
However,
The housing of 3,500 women and children evacuated from Hong
Kong beginning July 3, 1940, was no small problem. It should be
taken into account that in addition to these, a large number of
women and children, including Americans, who evacuated at their
own expense, had reserved a considerable part of available accom-
modations. Only 48 hours' notice of their evacuation had been
given these British women, and a similar short notice was also
received by Manila authorities concerning their arrival.
anticipating this evacuation, a Housing Section had been appointed.
Houses, apartments, boarding houses, halls, and institutions were
investigated and a card index file system set up, giving the name,
address, number of people that can be accommodated, charges by
day, week, or month, with or without board, furnished or unfur-
nished, whether children were permitted, etc. This index was
invaluable for individual housing but accommodations listed were
entirely inadequate for the emergency. As stated in Sections I
and II of this report, arrangements were made for the shelter and
care of a large number at Fort Wm. McKinley. Barracks were pre-
pared and all other necessary arrangements were made for this
purpose. These arrangements provided a common center to which
large groups could be taken immediately upon debarkation, and
from which point they could be gradually cleared to other facil-
ities arranged.