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In the main College buildings classrooms, laboratories, etc., originally not intended for residential use, and obviously unsuitable as such, are now being used in that capacity by internees. The residential sections provided for masters and boys give suitable accomm dation for a number much below that now in occupation. For comparison it may stated that when used for their normal purposes these residential sections housed a maximum of 180 boys and masters but now, with five cubicles, or accommodation for 10 boys uninhabitable owing to damage by gunfire, they accommodate 289 internees. The former occupants were provided with common rooms in addition but these are now used as dormitories and, with the classrooms, accommodate 212 persons, bringing the total to 501.
Two large rooms, which are occupied, are not weather proof and are unfit for habitation owing to damage which has not been repaired. Sacking is used to cover the shattered windows but, while this keeps out daylight, it is no protection against cold, rainstorms and typhoons. Of the total number of 501 internees living in the main College buildings, 40 are in the Science Block which was built as a laboratory and lecture room and is entirely unsuitable for residential purposes. It possesses only one water closet and a shower bath fitted by resident internees whose number was, for a considerable time, as high as 54- Requests have been made but materials for increasing sanitary facilities have not been made available. Excepting the Science Block, the main College buildings provide an average of 46 sq. ft. of floor space for each internee, a bath (mostly of the shower type) and a water closet for every 20 and a water tap, with basin or slab, for every ten.
Each bungalow, normally occupied by a single family, now houses 32 people with an average floor space per head of 46 sq. ft. Sanitary and washing facilities are adequate.
The accommodation provided in the servants' quarters is a little better than the camp average as regards floor space and toilet amenities.
(2) The buildings specified in the second category were built as quarters for Europeans and are, of course, suitable provided the number of occupants is within reasonable limits. The married officers quarters consist of 3-storied blocks containing flats of 3 or 4 rooms, while the bachelors' quarters consist of single bedrooms with common rooms and communal washing and sanitary arrangements. In the early months of internment these quarters, mostly occupied by families and mothers with children, were grossly overcrowded, some of the larger flats accommodating 30 or more internees with a floor space per head of less than 30 sq. ft. As a result of departures from camp conditions were ameliorated to a certain extent and the larger and smaller flats now accommodate on an average 21 and 16 internees respectively. The larger flats are provided with a bath and two water closets, the smaller with one of each and all flats with a kitchen sink.
The servants' quarters attached to these flats, varying in floor area between 54 and 70 sq. ft. are each occupied by two adults, a mother and child or even a married couple with a baby. The occupants of these small rooms use the toilet and washing facilities provided for servants.
As cooking in camp is on a communal basis flat kitchens have, where possible, been converted into living quarters, measuring about 7 sq. ft. They are occupied similarly to servants' quarters, but the occupants use the flats' bathrooms, etc.
In the married officers quarters, including servants rooms and converted kitchens, the space available averages approximately 40 sq. ft. per head.
In the bachelors' quarters situated in the former Prison Officers' Club, single bedrooms are now occupied by two adults and other rooms according to size. One room on the ground floor, occupied by eight men, has been damaged to such an extent as to make it unfit Dr habitation.
The average space per head in this building is 49 sq. ft. Toilet and washing facilities are adequate.
(3) The third category consists of eight buildings, of two or three stories, erected for use by Asiatics-Indians and Chinese.
Six blocks were married quarters and are mostly laid out as small flats of two rooms with verandahs at front and back. Each flat is provided with a water closet, a kitchenette and a washing tap (placed in W.C.). The rooms measure approximately 140 and 100 sq. ft. and accommodate four and three internees respectively.
Owing to structural damage, some rooms do not accommodate a full complement as stated above, but, even then, the average number of persons living in each of these small flats is 6.6.
One of the bachelor blocks is occupied by single police-two in each room of 92 sq. ft.— and washing and other facilities are adequate.
The second bachelor block stands apart from the others. It is used as a hospital and quarters for nursing staff,
Excepting the hospital buildings, the
27
Indian Quarters", as this section of the camp
is known, accommodated 748 internees and the average space available to each is
sq. ft.
The resident nursing staff, numbering 55, reside in four large rooms on the top floor of the hospital building. The average space per head is about 60 sq. ft. and five water- closets and five shower baths are provided. This is poor accommodation for staff whose work is particularly trying and gives little facility for rest to those on night duty.
Doctors and other male staff directly attached to the hospital live in the 'Leprosarium f
a building previously part of the Hong Kong Prison and then used for the accommodation of leprous prisoners.
Lighting and ventilation of all accommodation, with the exception of damaged rooms is adequate. Artificial lighting is by electricity.
There is no means of heating rooms nor is such normally required.
A limited amount of furniture, the property of previous residents, was available in St. Stephen's College, the bungalows and the European Officer's quarters, but none whatever in the Indian Quarters' section of the camp.
Excluding the Hospital, Leprosarium and the Science building the total area available for internees is approximately 98,000 sq. ft., which allows 41 sq. ft. per head, and when one considers the figure already given it will be realised that a maximum and equitable use is being made of the space provided. It must be remembered that there is no communal accommodation, such as dining and sitting rooms, and that the areas given per head represent the total floor space available to internees for all purposes.
There is, without doubt, serious overcrowding in camp, which is a constant danger to the health of the community. Overcrowding facilitates the spread of communicable diseases and is particularly dangerous when combined with a state of general malnutrition such as exists in the camp. Nor must we forget the serious effects on the nervous system of prolonged residence in overcrowded rooms in this uncertain existence of ours. Should an epidemic occur in this camp its control would be difficult as conditions, particularly as regards housing, would favour its spread and the results might be serious.
It is generally considered that 6 ft. of wall space for each bed is the minimum that can be regarded as affording some degree of protection against the spread of disease from one occupant of a room to another, but such spacing is impossible in this camp; even in rooms where tuberculous cases are accommodated. The spread of tuberculosis, dysentery, or, in fact, of any disease, whether conveyed as a droplet infection, by contact or by insects, is facilitated by lack of adequate accommodation. What would be a reasonable standard of housing in our present circumstances? Obviously we cannot have the amenities we enjoyed in our own homes but it would not be unreasonable, in my opinion, to expect at least the standard of accommodation provided for British troops in South China (including Stanley) in pre-war days a floor space of 80 sq. ft. and a cubic space of 1,000 cubic feet per head. If we take that as our standard, and we cannot be satisfied with a lower one, it follows that the accommodation at present provided is only about half of what we require for reasonable comfort and the maintenance of health.”
8. HOSPITAL
The ground and first floors of a building already referred to were used as a hospital which had accommodation for 70 patients in six wards-three for males and three for females. The building was not very satisfactory, it was too small to meet the hospitalisation demands made necessary by serious overcrowding in quarters, its lay-out made impossible the proper segregation of dysentery and other infectious diseases, and washing and sanitary facilities were poor. In spite of this, and the many difficulties met in regard to staffing, equipment, medical and surgical stores, heating, lighting and water supplies, this hospital did magnificent work in caring for the sick and the majority of internées benefited at one time or another from its services. This is clearly shown by its record of admissions which were 1,521 in 1942, 1,189 in 1943, 1,468 in 1944 and 795 for 8 months in 1945, a total of 4,604. In addition there was an out-patient department where specialist services were available.
9. PERSONAL HYGIENE
Few internees were able to arrive in camp with adequate supplies of clothing, footwear and bedding and for several months many had to sleep on concrete floors.
Some were able to bring in bedding from the Chinese hotels where they had been interned before arrival in camp. Much of this was bug infested and gave considerable trouble
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