COPY
The Under secretary of State, Colonial office,
Whitehall,
.1.
sir,
February 21st 1946.
25
We, the undersigned, being Hong Kong Government servants, respectfully submit the following facts and view for your consideration, in connection with the compulsory evacuation of our wives and children from the Colony in 1941 and the financial aspect of such evacuation followed as it was by our internment 18 months later.
?. Compulsory evacuation of all women and children, with the exception of certain categories of the former considered to be engaged in essential work or likely to be so engaged in the event of hostilities breaking out involving the Colony, was ordered by the Hong Kong Goverment towards the end of June 1940. The majority of women and children, our families amongst them, left the Col ny by free passage on July 5th, 1940, and were taken to Manilla where they had to stay for some 6 weeks pending free transportation to Australia. Some accommodation was provided free of charge in barracks and else- where, but partly owing to the short notice given to the
mericans and our Consular authorities, it is submitted, it was unsatisfactory in the extreme with overcrowding, little or no privacy, inadequate bathing, sanitary, and laundry arrangements, and poor food. It is a fact that a number of women, particularly those with young children as our wives had, felt forced to leave this accommodation as totally unfit and go to hotels. During these 6 weeks we had to support our families at some expense.
On arrival in Austr:lia our wives hi to find furniche 3 Accommodation, whereas ho₫ they semained in the Colony they wuld have remained in o cupstin of fovernment (uarters with Bovernment furniture, provided at the small charge of 7 on our ralaries. Cur wives hal ho-ever to purchase furniture and, even after this initial expense, it is, we submit, obvious that the two acper te establishments we had to maintain aust and Aid in feet involv us in urther conside for 18 months.
ble expense continued
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