Enclosure
I reply to war
office Signal
Chinese
75
(1)
King's College has been practically demolished by doliberate action of the Japancee, and will take years to robuild it. There is nothing left of it except the walls up to the 1st floor and in como parts these have been completely knocked down. There is no roof, no ficcrs, and no staircase.
(2)
Queen's College received sovoral direct hits both from bombs and sholls and is moroly a hole in the ground covered with rubble. Considering the rathor unsuitable surroundings, I would advocato roluilding it whon opportunity permits on a new site, proforably in Kowloon, so that wo may have a Government secondary school on each side of tho Harbour.
(3) Contral British School is at presont in use as a hospital but is in good shape and undamagod; so also are the Trade School, Northcote Training College, Wanchai School, Yaumati School, the Indian School and Un Long School. All other Governmont Schools have boon completely looted of all woodwork, windows, doors, floors, staircases, and in casos where the roofs word of wood, these have gone too. In the absence of timber, rennirs end replacements will take a long timo. Thore is cractically no furniture in any of the school buildings, and so far, me have only been able to trace desks for about 200 to 300 children.
(4) In the case of the grant aided schools, the so have been occupied by their owners throughout the occupation and are all in working order except the French Convent School, which received two direct hita during the American bombing of a nearby Jonancee Barracks. The school building is being eurveyed by the
orks Department, but repairs will bo long and oxponsive. In this dispetcr, six of the Sisters and 50 children were killed. They have, hovovor, opened in now promises and altogether 12 grant cided schools have been in action since the let of Octobor, with approximatoly 5,000 children in attendance. In addition, sore 45 vornɛenler schools are also running with about the sam o numbor of pupils.
(51 The Northcote training College Library hos boon found almost intact in the University. The building itself has been used as a Japanoso ilitary Training School, and the Biology Laboratory end workroom, art room, and lomestic Science room aro completely gutted of equiomont. Choro ro no doska loft, It will be necessary to replace the complete biology laborator y equipment with 08sontial chomienls for a clage of £4 students "orking individually. Any firm of chemical sunrlics con estimato for this, and I suggest Baird & Tatlock, Bocker cr Gallenkamp for this purpose.
It ennnot be roninged horo. 12 sots of toole for handwork including light motal work, together with book binding apparatus and loom, guilotine, for gon, lathes (one trendle one electric), end the general equipment for handwork will be necessary including metal sheets of conver, aluminium and silver. Mr. Davis, Handwork and Geography lecturer at the Nor the ote Training College, is now on his way home, and should be consultod as to replacements in both his subjects. Eo 18 a first-class man in his subjecte, and I trust ho will be able to come back again
soon as possible. For Domestic Science, three gas and ono
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.