15
5.
Thus the cost of maintaining these non-Hong Kong lepers has risen in exchange value from the equivalent of £49 per month to £1225 per month, on the basis of the special exchange subsidy of 50% for relief payments.
6.
This enormous increase in the cost of maintenance appears at first sight to be most improbable, but it falls into place when it is seen that the refugee Relief Department of the British Embassy is paying relief to destitute refugees at the rate of Ch.$600 per head per month. It is quite conceivable that the cost of druge and "edical equipment and the need for a higher degree of nourishment would raise the figure for maintenance of lepers above the lowest level of subsistence.
7.
There is little doubt that a moral responsibility rests with the Hong Kong Government in the matter of these lepers but we seem to have reached a point where the financial aspect must be taken into consideration, especially now that the Treasury has to meet a part of the expenditure incurred on account of the Hong Kong Government (as to which I am sending you a separate letter).
8. A further 314,700 per year will be required if the moral responsibility for 19 lepers of Chinese, not Hong Kong, origin is translated into action on this financial basis. On the other hand we should not lose sight of the political side of the question and of the bad impression which would undoubtedly be caused if we were to disclaim the responsibility of the Hong Kong Government and leave these American missionaries to face this heavy expenditure by themselves.
9.
There is however a furt er point to be considered viz that the Leper Asylum in question is situated in Jap
panese occupied China. The headquarters of the "aryknoll ission
/was