lextract from South belina Morning Post -2.8.38.
REFUGEE CAMPS SITES
REASONS FOR CHOICE EXPLAINED BY MEDICAL DIRECTOR
DETAILS OF GOVERNMENT SCHEME
Interviewed yesterday as to details of the proposed camps for refugees, Hon. Dr. P. S. Selwyn-Clarke, Director of Medical Services, explained why it was not practical to use the New Territories as the base of such camps and pointed out that the most elaborate measures would be taken to ensure that residents would not be incommoded in the areas chosen,
Statements published of the expenditure that would be involved, were extravagant, said Dr. Selwyn-Clarke. Apart from humanitarian motives and the question of safeguarding the health of residents, the Colony would be making only a small financial return for the considerable sum it had accrued as a result of the hostilities.
The Director said the following, constantly under check to ascertain conditions had to be borne in mind when they can be repatriated. This in selecting a site for a refugee camp: work has been going on for many Ability of the area to accommodate weeks and a large number of Chinese an agreed minimum of persons, un-have been returned to their homes. encumbered as far as possible by Over 100 were sent back last week.
leases, licences residents;
and existing
Accessibility by road, rail or water; Freedom from danger of serious or prolonged flooding;
A careful survey has been made of sites for possible camps in the New found which should provide accom- Territories and one area has been modation, if needed, for between Presence in the vicinity
20,000 and 50,000 refugees. It is im- adequate supply of water of reason-able for a major emergency.
perative to have such an area avail- able purity.
of an
con-
Removal from congested areas and districts where malarious conditions pertained and could not be trolled at reasonable cost or without a complete change in the method of cultivation, which was the cause of those conditions, especially near the foot hills.
Not too far removed from districts in which the refugees had a certain number of relatives or friends, or, where they were able to find odd jobs
of work or obtain food.
Sives Selected
The following sites had selected:
New Territories
This New Territories camp would not be suitable as a substitute for the one to be built on the Marina on account of the type of refugees needing to be accommodated. The Marina camp will be utilised as a clearing station at which refugees can be housed for one, two or more days, pending arrangements being made for their transfer to various places in China, Indo-China and the Straits Settlements.
Nor would the New Territories been camp be able to cater satisfactorily for the type of refugee, destitute and semi-destitute, sleeping in the streets at the present time, since this class Will tend cling to the neighbour- hood where it may possess friends or relatives or work connections and is in need of accommodation situated not too far away from such associa- tions.
North Point. King's Road. It was bounded by sea on the north side; by King's Road, Public Works Department roadmaker's dump, new tramway garage and vacant plot on the south side; by a vacant plot and the Chinese Bathing Club on the east side; and by a vacant plot and the
Bungar Printing Press on the west With regard to cost, extravagant side. The alternative site in this statements have appeared in area exists at Causeway Bay between Press regarding the actual accom- Queen's College and Bay View Man-modation to be provided for refugees. sions, but this would bring the camp There is no foundation for this and close to good-class residential pro- tifere will be no question of "paupers perty and would involve the loss of in palaces."
feet represent
the
one's
the Naval Recreation Ground, which In point of fact the huts to be is extensively used in winter. It is erected are of wood. They are 123 hoped to accommodate in the North ft. long, 18 ft. wide and an average Point camp about 1,500 persons, of 111⁄2 ft. high. Each hut is design- chiefly women and children and in-ed to hold 72 persons (the legal firm men at present destitute and maximum) arranged in two tiers of sleeping in the streets, many of whom simple,metal bunks with boards. are known to be refugees,
Each refugee will have only 30 square feet of floor space; six by five Marina Ground. Bounded by sea feet for a bed and any belongings he on east side and by the Kowloon-happens to have and for space to run Canton railway on west side. The around in, is certainly far from gen- actual camp site on which the sleep-erous when it is realised that these ing quarters are to be built for the few square refugees, is situated over 100 yards home. from the cast side of Chatham Road which is itself 100 feet wide. Hence,
Expenses Kept Low no house along Chatham Road is Needless to say, the actual cost of within 400 feet of the sleeping quar- buildings will be kept to the lowest ters for the refugees. Furthermore level compatible with safety and it is intended to endeavour to meet health and where it is possible to ob- any possible complaints from retain and to utilise matsheds for sidents along Chatham Road regard- latrines, etc., this will be done. ing the use of the road by refugees costs are, in any case, an estimate: resident in the camp, by arranging and it is hoped that tenders which for the entrance and exit for the are being called for will show a de- refugees to open into Salisbury Road finite reduction on the estimate. It near Signal Hill and not into Chat- is hoped that the living sheds will be ham Road itself.
typhoon-proof.
The
Camp Restrictions
camp will be very strictly supervised; its inmates will have to
The
The
In
in
In so far as it is possible to arrange for the inhabitants of the camps to do such cleansing and sanitary work as be in camp by 9 pm and lights will may be necessary, this will be done be extinguished by 10 p.m.
and a corresponding economy will be greatest attention
effected in the labour costs. will be paid to order to reduce the maintenance costs avoiding nuisance or fly-breeding and of the camp in regard to sanitary there should be no question of the labour to a minimum, arrangements camp being a menace to health or will be made to group the inhabitants comfort of those living in the vicinity. into families or chia and into larger The good offices of the Commissioner units consisting of from three to six. of Police will be sought to discourage chia to form a pao-as is done any possibility of loitering or hawk- ing in the residential area west of China, the chia leaders or chang being refugees camps in certain parts of Chatham Road and between Austin held responsible to the pao chang. Road and Salisbury Roay. A special committee will be formed in con- It is believed, further, that a sub- nection with this camp, and its sole stantial saving may be possible duty will consist of co-operating with connection with the kitchen staff with the Tung Wah authorities in re- since it is hoped to be able to patriating to comparatively safe parts arrange for some of the inmates of of China all those who have been the camp to do the cooking at a small forced to leave their homes in areas
remuneration under the personal situated at the seat of hostilities.
supervision of voluntary helpers at- Kowloon Tsai. The actual area
tached to the Bishop's Emergency involved is a small portion of Crown Relief Council. land on the east side of Waterloo For a similar reason, it is possible Road between Rutland Quadrant and that the actual cost of food and fuel Essex Crescent, just outside the may be reduced to a sum in the Southern boundary of the area neighbourhood of $4 per month per where it is proposed to spend over head. It must be remembered, how-
£1,000,000 on new barracks,
ever, that it anticipated that a
Repatriation Efforts
in
5+
61
It is proposed to have a strip at fairly considerable proportion of the least 50 yards wide between the east camp population will be young chil- margin of Waterloo Road and the dren who need milk. camp fence. Consequently, the com-
Importance of Diet paratively small number of private
Thoughtful persons will realises at homes to be found at that particular once that it is false economy to spot will enjoy a certain separation furnish a diet which is so deficient from the camp. Needless to say, this in heat and energy value and in the camp will be as strictly supervised constituents necessary for growth from the health and discipline stand- and healthy living, that those re- point as the two already mentioned ceiving it fall sick and have to be and every effort will be made to en-treated in hospital. During the last sure that the minimum amount of few days the Government has found annoyance is caused by the inmates. it necessary to vote thousands upon It is hoped to restrict this camp to thousands of dollars on temporary the same class of persons as at North relief hospitals (at Laichikok); and Point but they will be collected from this only touches the fringe of the Kowloon.
problem.
Let those who are ready to criticise In order to meet the views of the as too generous the provision of the residents of Kowloon Tong as far as bare diet which it is proposed to give is humanly practicable, it is possible to the occupants of the camps, spend that Government may agree to re- an hour or so in the Chinese hospitals tain the Kowloon Tsai site as a re- in Hongkong, seeing the wrecks of
In conclusion, may I earnestly ap- serve site and first to utilise an al- humanity many of whom could have real to all residents of Hongkong ternative site on the western portion been spared their sickness and who have the interests of the Chinese of King's Park between Danger Hill suffering had they enjoyed at least
at heart (and more particularly of on the north, Gascoigne Road on the one square meal a day," said
those who have been driven from or south, a nullah on the east and the Selwyn Clarke.
have fled from their homes in the Kowloon Magistracy on the west.
"A Small Return"
war areas and are hungry and des- There are three acres of recreation "Putting it on the lowest possible titute) to assist the Government in ground on this particular site and basis, it is well known fact that any way they can in its formidable rather less than an acre of un-Hongkong has derived a considerable task of giving asylum and succour to occupied land immediately adjoining. sum in revenue as a result of the those in their hour of need. The It is, of course, unfortunate that any Sino-Japanese hostilities and, omit- time may come when many of us land used for recreation should be ting any question of humanitarian with homes and loved ones may be sacrificed, but the present emergency motive and public health--the need caught up into the cataclysm of war has to be met.
for the protection
of the people and ourselves be glad of a
hand Occupants of the camps will be themselves and the safeguarding of outstretched to help us."
Dr.
residents the cost of the camps can be regarded only as a very small return on the Colony's part.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.