Group Title : Director of Missions Papers

Series Title : Intwards Correspondence - South China Mission Council

Date(s) : 15 May 1942 to 10 Oct 1945

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Item Description : This file contains a series of letters written by the South China Mission Field Council Secretary (Rev. EG Jansen and Sr. D. Robertson) to the Missions Director (Rev. DN MacDiarmid) during intermment at Kong Chuen and on Honam Island, Canton during World War Two.  The letters were unable to be posted to New Zealand and were secretly hidden from the Japanese until the end of hostilities in 1945.  An index is included at rear.

Main Topics Include : internment of Sr. D. Robertson, Rev. EG Jansen, Miss FM Wilson and Sr A. Lilburne at Kong Chuen Compound, Rev. H. Davies at Fong Chuen, Mrs M. Davies, Miss FG Ogilvie, Rev JD Johnston, and Dr JA Loan at Hong Kong (1941); rising commodity prices (1942); transfer of Rev. H. Davies to Shanghai for repatriation to NZ with Mrs M. Davies (1942); financial stringency and borrowing (1942); reduction in mission activities but continuation of Kong Chuen Hospital to safeguard buildings (1942); difficulties of transferring funds from free China (1942); transfer of Rev EG Jansen to internment at the Canton Military Internment Camp at Sai Kwaan (1942); transfer of Miss FG Wilson, Sr A. Lilburne and Sr D. Robertson to the "Civil Assembly Centre" internment camp at Honam Island, Canton (1942); transfer of Rev. EG Jansen to Honam Island Camp (1943); descriptions of camp life during internment (1943); references to Miss A. James at Kaai Hau; daily allowance to purchase food and additional allowance advanced to Missionaries by the Swiss Consul (Mr Hoffmeier); rise in food commodity prices (1943 to 1945); release from internment and return to Kong Chuen (1945)
 

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