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time the Japanese ordered the demolition of houses for the airfield extension. Each family was allocated only one house at Model Village, no matter how many of the houses in its ownership had been demolished. Our house here is still quite good - it's still standing after twenty years.'
Further Information
I then had a joint meeting with the five persons named above, at which the following facts were established. The Japanese had allowed for 125 houses to be built at Model Village. There was not one contractor, but many. Dispossessed villagers could work for the contractors and receive a daily payment of rice. Mr. Yip and his daughter had worked for the contractor on their house; so had Madam Li Ng and her son, and sometimes her daughter in lieu; whilst Madam Ng Tai had also helped to build her home. They were glad of the rice, not having enough to eat at the time. These houses were built in pairs, with one party wall. Each measured 15 feet by 12, giving a frontal span of 30 feet; but, obviously, at least one of the 125 had been built as a single dwelling.
Mr. Yip and Madam Ng were still living in their houses, but Madam Li's home had been burned down in a fire, like many others over the years. Some had fallen into disrepair. Only about twenty of the houses built in 1943 were in their original state. The two Shing brothers, who came to Model Village postwar, had built their own modest homes in the village. Another man present had bought one of the original Japanese houses.
It was agreed that the 125 houses were quite insufficient for the number of families that had been dispossessed. This corroborates what the Nga Tsin Wai people told Patrick Hase. Some of the hapless "overflow" had moved to the New Territories; Kam Tin was mentioned for one group, but my informants did not know where the rest might have gone.
Information from Other Persons.
At various meetings with other residents of the villages of central Kowloon, more information about Model Village and the clearance operation for the airfield extension was provided, shedding further light
271
time the Japanese ordered the demolition of houses for the airfield extension. Each family was allocated only one house at Model Village. no matter how many of the houses in its ownership had been demolished. Our house here is still quite good - it's still standing after twenty years.'
Further Information
I then had a joint meeting with the five persons named above, at which the following facts were established. The Japanese had allowed for 125 bouses to be built at Model Village. There was not one contractor, but many. Dispossessed villagers could work for the contractors and receive a daily payment of rice. Mr. Yip and his daughter had worked for the contractor on their house; so had Madam Li Ng and her son, and sometimes her daughter in lieu; whilst Madam Ng Tai had also helped to build her home. They were glad of the rice, not having enough to eat at the time. These houses were built in pairs, with one party wall. Each measured 15 feet by 12, giving a frontal span of 30 hang (feet?); but, obviously, at least one of the 125 had been built as a single dwelling.
Mr. Yip and Madam Ng were still living in their houses, but Madam Li's home had been burned down in a fire, like many others over the years. Some had fallen into disrepair. Only about twenty of the houses built in 1943 were in their original state. The two Shing brothers, who came to Model Village postwar, had built their own modest homes in the village. Another man present had bought one of the original Japanese houses.
It was agreed that the 125 houses were quite insufficient for the number of families that had been dispossessed. This corroborates what the Nga Tsin Wai people told Patrick Hase. Some of the hapless "overflow" had moved to the New Territories, Kam Tin was mentioned for one group, but my informants did not know where the rest night have gone.
Information from Other Persons.
At various meetings with other residents of the villages of central Kowloon, more information about Model Village and the clearance operation for the airfield extension was provided, shedding further light
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