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54. As was anticipated several cases of malaria arose at Lai Chi Kok and it was necessary to set aside the ground floor of one of the sheds as a hospital ward and to increase the staff of nursing sisters and nurses. There were 111 admissions to the hospital of which 78 were for malaria. This considerably added to the cost of the Lai Chi Kok Centre compared with previously as, in all cases of destitute refugees, those who were admitted to Government hospitals were treated there free. After the move to Lai Chi Kok Dr. Lilias Dovey was required to return to her work as Visiting Medical Officer for Chinese Hospitals; for a short time Dr. G. H. Henry visited the Centres daily, and later Dr. (Mrs.) G. R. Nash was placed in full charge.

(C) Carrying on and the return of the Refugees.

55. After the refugees were safely housed in Lai Chi Kok and old Central British School the Centres carried on smoothly. There was naturally considerable anxiety on the part of many of the refugees to return to their homes in Shanghai as soon as possible. Even as early as the 19th September a large number returned to Shanghai by the Messageries Maritimes s.s. Chenonceaux" but comparatively few of these were from either of the Centres. Conditions in Shanghai appeared to have improved considerably and the Committee office was bombarded daily with requests for assistance to return. This could not be given and only those who were able to make their own arrangements for passages were able to leave.

56. Tentative suggestions were put forward on the 13th October that men who had reasonable expectations of resuming business in Shanghai and women who had guaranteed posts to which they were anxious to return should be given assisted passages to Shanghai, but this was not approved.

57. About thirty left the Centres for Shanghai on 2nd October, twenty- three on 15th October and thirty-four on the 31st October. Thereafter restrictions on return were somewhat relaxed and sixty-three (mainly Iraquians) were sent back on the Lloyd Triestino s.s. "Conte Rosso on 22nd November. In all cases where passages had to be provided for the refugees a promise to repay the cost thereof was obtained. (Appendix 7).

58. Towards the end of November further telegraphic correspondence took place with H.M.'s Consul-General in Shanghai on the subject of the return of the Refugees, and authority was given to repatriate those who had accommodation available in the International Settlement south of the Soochow Creek or in the French Concession.

59. The Consul-General also asked on 30th November that a list of the refugees still maintained in the Centres should be forwarded for the guidance of the British Fund for relief in China and that notification should be made to him when destitute refugees were returning to Shanghai. Such a list was prepared and for- warded to Shanghai and in all subsequent repatriations those who might require some help on arrival in Shanghai were reported by telegram and referred to by their number on this list.

C

60. Twenty-eight were sent back by the Messageries Maritimes s.s. Athos II" on 12th December and 148 left by the s.s. "Conte Verde" and "D'Artagnan on 25th and 26th December. The remainder who had been detained on account of illness left by the s.s. "Conte Biancamano" on 9th January. The Lai Chi Kok Centre was closed on 26th December, 1937, and the old Central British School after the last refugees left on 15th January, 1938.

61. It will be seen that the process of returning the refugees to Shanghai was somewhat protracted. Though numbers were diminishing almost daily the cost of maintaining the Centres was not proportionately reduced. Overhead charges remained. much the same whether there were 300 or 200 resident in the Centre. Every effort was made to curtail expenses, staff was reduced and salaries lowered.