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Mr
Lurope civilians from the Kowloon area, as well as residents from the
Repuls Bay Hotel (who were removed to Taikoo after the war, and then sent over to Kowloon) were concentrated in the Kowloon Hotel In the case of the University, where the Hospital and Universith staff and a large group of refugees comprised a total of 81 Europeans, the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Sloss, was able to make a special arrangement with the Japanese Vice Consul to the
University Compound without effect that no European would leave the speciel permission until final internment arrangements had been made. Sloss gave a personal guarantee to this effect, with the result that the University residents continued to live under relatively satisfactory donditions until the end of January. Special permission was also obtained by Dr. Selwyn-Clarke for those working on the staffs of the Hospitals to continue their duties without taking part in the registration, but they were
In the Peak District residents to the Eventually interned, as noted above. number of about 300 hoped, through negotiations conducted by Sir Atholl Kacgregor and Mr. Eldor Potter, to be able to arrange for internment in thei: This aim, however, was no own houses, or upon a specified area of the Peak. realised and all Peak residents were eventually placed in the Internment Camp at very short notice, and most of them were forced to carry their own things to Blake Pier for transportation by steam launch. Meanwhile Stanley had been chosen by the Japanese Authorities as the site for the Civilian Internment Camp. The camp includes the area occupied by the European and Indian Prison Warders' Quarters (but not the Prison itself), St. Stephens Boys College and the associated residences. Occupation commenced on about January 15th, when the occupants of the Chinese Hotels were remɔved to Stanley. The Kowloon Hotel residents followed on about Jan. 19th, and Peak residents on 28th Jan. The last community to be interned was the group of 78 Europeans from the University on 31st Jan.
At Stanley a community of about 3000 people is housed, comprising some 300
The communit Americans, a small Dut oh group and a large company of British. is made up of men, women and children. Families do not appear to have been separated, and husbands and wives have been left together, but two or more couples occupy a single room. There is a good deal of crowding, but there does not appear to be less than 35 square feet allotted to each individual. Even so, this means that six or eight persons are sleeping in the relativel; small rooms of the warders' flats. Accommodation varies considerably, the most comfortable quarters being found in the Sohool Residences and European Warders' Flats, and the least desirable in the Indian Quarters many of whiol were in an extremely dirty condition (Peak residents are for the most part housed in these latter quarters). Two meals a day are provided, cooking
The food comprises arrangements 'being left in the hands of the internees. bowl of rice for each meal, with occasional fish or meat in small quantitie In the official "Conditions of Internment" drawn up by the Japanese, a ocpy of which I have seen, the daily ration included half a catty of rice, one fiftieth of a catty of salt and one fiftieth of a catty of sugar. Supplementary rations could be purchased at the expense of individual internees, if available, but many of them have little or no money left. Certain additional articles of diet have been obtained, such as milk, which
Chinese is sent in daily by one of Dr. Selwyn-Clarke's transport workers. end friends of neutral nationality have been able to send in occasional gif of food to internees, and there is some talk of a canteen being established in the camp for the sale of food and other things. Many Europeans are unat to eat a continuous diet of rice in sufficient quantity to maintain body- weight, and for these the outlook is serious if the Japanese adhere to the diet laid down in the "Conditions of Internment." One of the factors which materially influenced my own decision to escape was the consideration that the retion allowed to internees was not sufficient to maintain life over & prolonged period, being seriously deficient both in caloric and vitamin value.
The internal organisation of the Internment Camp is left in the hands of th internees themselves, The British, Americm and Dutch communities have eacl elected their own Committee of Management to whitoh all problems and detai: of organisation are referred. It is my understanding that, owing to certain feelings of resentment that exist, no officials of the former British Government Administration have been elected on the British Committ of Management, A small hospital has been established in the camp which is
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