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MONEY. Two H.K.dollars are equal to one military yen. Official changers for military yen are the Chartered Bank and Wing on Bank in Kowloon, but one can buy ten military yen for eighteen dollars on the Black Market. Money changers were ordered to open for business. The value of fifty dollar notes and upwards fluctuates and one cannot usually expect to receive more than 90%. At first the Chinese were reluctant to use the military yen. The Japanese and Chinese Banks are open all the time. The Chinese employees and other Third Nationals of all banks receive eighty dollars a month if they previously earned over one hundred and fifty dollars. European employees of American, Dutch and British Banks are interned in town and are each day escorted to their Banks to liquidate them. So far they have opened once a month to facilitate the with- drawals of personal accounts (January fifty dollars, and February three hundred.)
EMPLOYMENT . Except for working for the Japanese there is very little else to do. Even jobs with the Japanese are limited, though all employment, apart from business may be said to be under the direct control of the Japanese and the advantage is that each employee is able to buy sufficient rice for his dependents.
BUSINESS. Compradores have had very good business, selling their stocks of canned goods at enormous prices. When they finish their stocks, which can only last for a few months, they may have no further stocks coming in. The department stores were forced to open again. Enemy firms to the Japanese are being slowly liquidated. It is reported that Standard Vacuum 011 has already been liquidated.
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JAPANESE. Since the now Governor arrived, the Civil Adminis- tration has been in charge. The higher positions are held by Japanese and all others by Chinese. In the foreign affairs department they have employed several Portuguese girls and one Portuguese man. There are very few Japanese soldiers in Hong Kong and more in Kowloon. The European Boarding houses are barracks. Young Chinese girls are employed there as maids. The officers live in Prince Edward Road (Note:-Kowloon). Japanese like children, Empress Lodge (Note. Former boarding house on Mody Road, Kowloon) is a bureau to comfort the Japanese soldiers. The Japs say that the new ora of co-operation be- tween the Chinese and Japanese has begun. They are brothers. Frequently in Kowloon Japanese soldiers enter shops and under pretext of buying something run off with what they want. first they were strict with civilians and made them bow, but later relaxed and only bullying sentries growl at passing civilians and make them bow irrespective of nationality. are moving all they can out of Hong Kong. In a rope factory they forced the Portuguese fɔreman to collect the staff and report back to work. They are making rope and shipping it to Canton. The men only get rice as salary. The Queen Mary (Note.Pokfulum, Hong Kong,) and Kowloon Hospitals are Japaneso Military Hospitals. They have their own nurses. Former Jap residents of Hong Kong and Kowloon are holding high positions in the Civil Administration. The Japs have taken over the Supplies of electricity, gas, water, buses, and ferries. Their
They propaganda to win over the Chinese people is intense. give biscuits to children. During the celebrations upon the fall of Singapore, only Chinese took part in the processions. The Japanese asked all the prominent Chinese to work for them.
The buses and trams are They have taken all the cars, trucks. running. Trans are frequently searched and firearms discovered when the passengers are taken away for investigation. According to our office boy it can be safely said that 90% of the Chinese population do not like the Japanese even though they are not by' any means living under any fear of terrorism.
Chungking
1720/3
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