Sessional_Paper_1938 — Page 147

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102. The receipts were therefore:-

Repayments by refugees (including sale of a few

camp beds)

$ 17,414.81

Refund from Jewish Centre

Refund by Messrs. Kay Lee for gas consumed ...

Refund by Messrs. Tak Hing of over payment

Sale of Stores-Medical Department

American School

Auction

Balance of Welfare Funds

Interest on Current Account

2,200.00

522.90

9.57

1,055.16

50.00

2,160.42

2.12

3.45

$ 23,418.43

The deficit at present amounts to $152,832.80 which at 1/3, the prevailing rate of exchange equals £9,552.0.1.

103. The outstanding accounts for the refugees amount to $133,841.55. so that even if they were all paid in full there would still be a deficit for $18,991.25. These accounts have been calculated on the basis of $3 a day for adults and $2 a day for children under 15 and while every refugee signed a promise to pay in full the cost of their maintenance in Hong Kong, I do not recommend that any attempt be made to recalculate the accounts on any higher basis.

104. The result is somewhat disappointing. I had hoped to approximate more closely to the actual cost or even to show a small "paper" profit but this result is entirely due to the long delay in returning the last of the refugees to Shanghai.

105. Of the outstanding accounts, I estimate that perhaps half may eventually be recovered.

W. J. CARRIE, Chairman,

Shanghai Refugees Committee, 28th February, 1938.