63
Relief Measures.
By the end of 1937 the Shanghai Refugees Committee had practically concluded its work. Most of the non-Chinese refugees from the North had returned to their homes, but the Colony was faced, during the ensuing year, with a much larger influx of Chinese from neighbouring territories consequent upon the Japanese invasion of South China. The various relief organizations in Hong Kong including the Tung Wah Hospitals Committee, the oldest Chinese charitable institution in the Colony, the Street Sleepers Shelter Society, the Society for the Protection of Children, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Salvation Army, etc., did their utmost to cope with the great increase in destitution which resulted from the influx of refugees from the affected parts of China, but their combined resources were quite inadequate to meet the task and Government was obliged to step in and to take over the major part of the burden.
In the earlier part of 1938 the Tung Wah Hospital Authorities were entrusted with the care of homeless and friendless refugees. Several buildings were lent to this body for the purpose, including the former Government Civil Hospital, a portion of the former Victoria Gaol and a building, which had served as the Kowloon Magistracy. By May some 2,648 of such refugees were receiving food and shelter in this way. Many thousands were repatriated through the good offices of the authorities in question, a total of over 30,000 being reached between July, 1937, and June, 1938. Needless to say, this number formed but a small proportion of those who sought asylum in these territories. Tens of thousands of refugees packed into the already crowded tenements and the average number of persons to each floor of the typical three-storied Chinese houses rose from an average of eighteen to sixty. Many could find no accommodation and slept in the streets. A census taken in June, 1938, by the Police Department estimated the number of street sleepers at 27,000. Sanitary conditions deteriorated as might be expected and a severe outbreak of cholera was superimposed on an even more severe epidemic of small-pox.
To relieve these conditions Government decided to undertake a scheme for the housing of some 5,000 persons in the urban area. Three camps were built, one on the Island at North Point, a second at Ma Tau Chung and a third at King's Park, the last two being situated on the mainland. These camps were designed to hold about 5,000 persons and cost about $500,000 to build.
The administrative, medical and health duties of the camps were the responsibility of the Director of Medical Services and his staff, with the assistance of a Committee appointed by the Governor.
Welfare work, education and industrial activities in the camps were handed over to representatives of a voluntary organization—the Emergency Refugee Council—which came into being on the 11th of June, 1938, and which was, later, regarded by Government as the chief co-ordinating body for the refugee relief associations in Hong Kong.
Whilst the urban area camps were being constructed a new situation arose in the rural areas owing to the extension of hostilities to Kwangtung.
The landing of Japanese troops at Bias Bay on the 12th of October, followed by the taking of Canton, nine days later, intensified the refugee problem and many thousands poured across the frontier into the New Territories.
A matshed camp was rapidly established at Pat Heung which eventually housed 5,000 refugees.
Later, as the result of a further extension of the Japanese activities on the Hong Kong-Kwangtung border, additional camps in the form of railway trucks were opened at Fanling, close to the border. These provided accommodation for another 3,000 to 4,000 refugees.
A large number of refugees scattered to the villages in the New Territories, being prevented from entering the urban area by a particularly efficient policing system along a line drawn between Taipo and Castle Peak.
63
Relief Measures.
By the end of 1937 the Shanghai Refugees Committee had practically concluded its work. Most of the non-Chinese refugees from the North had returned to their homes, but the Colony was faced, during the ensuing year, with a much larger influx of Chinese from neighbouring territories consequent upon the Japanese invasion of South China. The various relief organizations in Hong Kong including the Tung Wah Hospitals Committee, the oldest Chinese charitable institution in the Colony,- the Street Sleepers Shelter Society, the Society for the Protection of Children, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Salvation Army, etc., did their utmost to cope with the great increase in destitution which resulted from the influx of refugees from the affected parts of China, but their combined resources were quite inadequate to meet the task and Government was obliged to step in and to take over the major part of the burden.
In the earlier part of 1938 the Tung Wah Hospital Authorities were entrusted with the care of homeless and friendless refugees. Several buildings were lent to this body for the purpose, including the former Government Civil Hospital, a portion of the former Victoria Gaol and a building, which had served as the Kowloon Magistracy. By May some 2,648 of such refugees were receiving food and shelter in this way. Many thousands were repatriated through the good offices of the authorities in question, a total of over 30,000 being reached between July, 1937, and June, 1938. Needless to say, this number formed but a small proportion of those who sought asylum in these territories. Tens of thousands of refugees packed into the already crowded tenements and the average number of persons to each floor of the typical three-storied Chinese houses rose from an average of eighteen to sixty. Many could find no accommodation and slept in the streets. A census taken in June, 1938, by the Police Department estimated the number of street sleepers at 27,000. Sanitary conditions deteriorated as might be expected and a severe outbreak of cholera was superimposed on an even more severe epidemic of small-pox.
To relieve these conditions Government decided to undertake a scheme for the housing of some 5,000 persons in the urban area. Three camps were built, one on the Island at North Point, a second at Ma Tau Chung and a third at King's Park, the last two being situated on the mainland. These camps were designed to hold about 5,000 persons and cost about $500,000 to build.
The administrative, medical and health duties of the camps were the responsibility of the Director of Medical Services and his staff, with the assistance of a Committee appointed by the Governor.
Welfare work, education and industrial activities in the camps were handed over to representatives of a voluntary organization--the Emergency Refugee Council— which came into being on the 11th of June, 1938, and which was, later, regarded by Government as the chief co-ordinating body for the refugee relief associations in Hong Kong .
Whilst the urban area camps were being constructed a new situation arose in the rural areas owing to the extension of hostilities to Kwangtung.
The landing of Japanese troops at Bias Bay on the 12th of October, followed by the taking of Canton, nine days later, intensified the refugee problem and many thousands poured across the frontier into the New Territories.
A matshed camp
was rapidly established at Pat Heung which eventually housed 5,000 refugees.
Later, as the result of a further extension of the Japanese activities on the Hong Kong-Kwangtung border, additional camps in the form of railway trucks were opened at Fanling.close to the border. These provided accommodation for another 3,000 to 4,000 refugees.
A large number of refugees scattered to the villages in the New Territories, being prevented from entering the urban area by a particularly efficient policing system along a line drawn between Taipo and Castle Peak.
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