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a file was opened for each family of refugees containing (i) the guarantee form, (ii) the statement made before the Investigating Committee and (iii) a record form (Appendix 6) detailing dates of arrival in the Colony and in any of the Centres and subsequent departures. From this latter form the whole history of the refugees" stay in Hong Kong is disclosed.

41. The Records Office also dealt with all accounts. To begin with Mr. G. White, Principal of the Trade and Technical Schools, kindly kept accounts of all disbursements and purchases of stores mainly for Central British School. On 6th September Mr. W. C. Scott, Accountant of H.M.'s Consulate-General in Shang- hai, arrived in the Colony, his secondment to organize the accounting work having been suggested by the Foreign Office and gratefully accepted by the Hong Kong Government.

42. Debit forms were prepared and sent out as soon as possible to those refugees who had spent a few days in the Centres and had then found their own accommodation. A few of these were paid but the bulk of the accounts can only be settled in Shanghai after conditions have become more settled there and after the refugees have attained some form of rehabilitation.

43. Mr. Scott after organizing the accounting system returned to Shanghai on 24th September. The accounts were thereafter in charge of Mr. H. M. Cockle, of the Senior Clerical and Accounting Staff.

44. Over 4,000 men, women and children left Shanghai and arrived in Hong Kong during the last ten days of August, 1937. While about 750 were known to be accommodated in the Centres organized by Government, there were numerous anxious inquiries for friends and relatives who had found their own accommodation. The Hong Kong Broadcasting Station Z. B.W. was most helpful in locating missing friends by broadcasting many S.O.S. messages. It was apparent, however, that something more was required and it was decided to compile a full directory under the auspices of the Hong Kong Travel Association, whose staff had already done splendid service in directing refugees to vacant accommodation. All Shanghai visitors were invited to send in their names and addresses, and a card index was compiled. This was kindly published twice a week as supplements to the South China Morning Post during the first four weeks, and proved a most useful “Guide for Friends or directory. It was later handed over to Poste Restante at the General Post Office.

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V. Maintenance of the Centres.

(A) · The transfer to Lai Chi Kok and closing of the Happy Valley Centre; the

transfer from the new to the old Central British School.

45. The Stand of the Hong Kong Jockey Club at Happy Valley was kindly lent free of charge for the period of one month from 18th August. Much anxiety was felt, however, by the Stewards lest the premises should not be vacated in time for racing to be resumed after the summer on 25th September. It is easily realized that in such an event the Club would have been faced with a serious loss.

46. When the first rush was over, therefore, and it appeared unlikely that further evacuation from Shanghai would be necessary, steps were taken to find alternative accommodation and it was eventually decided to transfer all the refugees to the commodious sheds at Lai Chi Kok, originally constructed to serve as a quarantine station and in recent years used as an overflow prison. The Happy Valley Stand had proved an excellent receiving depot but it was somewhat expensive to run and it was now necessary to make more permanent arrangements. The cost of adapting the sheds at Lai Chi Kok for the reception of refugees was somewhat heavy, but cheaper arrangements for catering were possible at Lai Chi Kok and it was expected that the saving in running costs would soon balance the initial. expenditure in putting Lai Chi Kok in order.