Attempts are being made to segregate the various classes, the higher class type going to one camp and the middle or lower to the other: it would be invidious to say which is which, It works out fairly w on the whole although there are mistakes, of course, One of the greatest criticisms of the Shanghai refugees—and it is a criticism which comes from the refugees themselves, and not from their hospitable hosts, the people of Hongkong—is that certain people, have tried to take advantage of the difficult conditions prevailing, and of the courtesies held out to them, in a manner which is definitely not a credit to the name of Shanghai nor its people.
Clothes and articles of baggage have been stolen. In one camp recently there was distribution of clothes and underwear to those who left Shanghai in a hurry and, despite their normal position in life, were in rather desperate straits in this regard. One woman, after she had left the queue with her quota of clothing, hid at and fell in at the end of the line once more, and in this way she secured eleven or twelve dresses before she was detected.
Some of them refuse to help keep the camp tidy and in order or to do anything beyond catering to their immediate personal needs. These are all petty things, of course, but in community in which so much di pends on the happiness of its mem bers and on the endeavours of al concerned to subordinate private desires and wishes to the need of the camp as a whole, they mean a great deal and in their very fairest light are a sad abuse of the has. pitality so freely accorded Shanghai by the Colony.
As a result, a certain amount of discipline has had to be enforced, a discipline which may irk those who do not need it, but is necessary in view of the irresponsible many. It was found that occasionally when the doctor made his rounds in the morning, sick or ailing children were often left unattended while mother went to town. As a result, no one is now allowed to leave the camps until after 10.30 a.m.; by which time the doctor has usually completed his tour of investigation.
"Mixed Family" Nuisance (must be back in camp by midnight, the same reason, everyone
after which hour none are permitted to leave. In the women's camps, no, men ai allowed to enter the rooms or dormitories. There are, a matter of fact, one or two case of complete families, consisting of both male and female members, in the same camp, but the husbands are invariably older men only, and the camp authorities make special efforts to try and find such families suitable accommodation elsewhere, as a mixed family has been found to be "such a nuisance" where camp routine and discipline is concerned On the other hand, few of the refugees in the camps can complain of having little done for them in the way of amusement, etc. Small libr~ aries of books are kept busy: games for the children are organized: radio sets in the common rooms provide music and entertainment; free transportation into town is arranged ample opportunities are given for washing, sewing, etc.; a "compra-dare" shop is opened; an efficient telephone service, with extension lines, has been installed, and so has a loudspeaker service which is connected to camp headquarters for broadcast notifications and hunts for missing people.
Sorting Out "Lost" Relatives When the refugees first arrived in Hongkong, there was a certain amount of confusion over the fact) that few knew where other members of the tamilly, relatives or friends were to be found in the case of those not staying in one of the camps. This has now been remedied. One of the newspapers is publishing daily an alphabetical list of names and Laddresses, and this supplements the work of the Shanghai Refugee Committee, which is endeavouring to get all residents of Shanghai arriving here to register at the office. This information is then carefully filed away and presumably will be available to those looking for "missing' relatives and friends.
In the case of refugees who land here with no money, who have lost everything at Shanghai and now want to leave the East for good in disgust, your correspondent understands that, although there is no provision as yet in the way of assisted pas sages Home, this matter is now under consideration by the responsible authorities. The departure of this type of refugee will, of course, lessen the strain imposed on the finances and resources of the Colony Hongkong or Shanghai?
Is this Shanghai or Hongkong? is the question for anyone standing in one of the Colony''s main thoroughfares at any moment of the day, for no matter which way one looks, there are crowds of Shanghai people bustle ing, hurrying all over the place. Indeed, it is getting quite hard to find a genuine Hongkong resident in the streets of the Central District except during rush-hours, Incidentally, there are no "refugees" in Hongkong; by common consent, they are now called "evacuees" by all except the Government offices. Apparently someone felt that the word "refugee" carried with it some sort of stigma.
Shanghai owes the Colony a debt it can never repay for the way in which the residents of Hongkong have combined to make things as easy and as happy for the evacuees as possible, not only through the regular channels but by individual residents.
A gentleman with a large car rang up the Happy Valley Camp and asked if anyone there would like to come for a drive. The camp officials were busy so he set off on a cruise of his own with two Shanghai ladies.
Your correspondent had a practical the good luck to be on hand when the mate lots come ashore.
Yesterday afternoon fully two ore men from HMS. Danae and HM. Falmouth landed at the Customs Jetty and from the clustering, rushing rickshaws immediately came shouts of "Rickshaw, Johnnie." No less than thirty scrambling vehicles were filled and the laughing coolies set off at a brisk clip up Nanking Road, Scenes like these, and the long strings of parked cars along The Bund, tell as much as anything else a Shanghai returning to more crinal occupations
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.