§ 94. Mr. Symondsasked the Secretary of State for Air if the Under-Secretary in the course of his overseas tour, visited the R.A.F. camp at Miho, Japan, about which complaints continue to be made.
§ Mr. de FreitasNo, Sir. It was impossible owing to bad weather, and the circumstances were fully explained to all ranks at the British Commonwealth Air Force Station at Miho.
§ 95. Mr. Symondsasked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the billets in the R.A.F. camp at Miho, Japan, are still unheated; and what steps he is taking to remedy this state of affairs.
§ Mr. de FreitasSince my right hon. Friend's reply of 5th March to my hon.200W Friend the Member for Central Cardiff (Mr. G. Thomas) further progress has been made in heating the sleeping quarters at the British Commonwealth Air Force Station, Miho. Sixty-five per cent. of the airmen's quarters are now adequately heated and the remainder should be heated within the next week. It will take rather longer to complete the heating in the officers' and N.C.O.s' quarters, only 20 per cent. of which are heated at present. The difficulty here is that there is a shortage of the small stoves that are required for the individual rooms.
§ 96. Mr. Symondsasked the Secretary of State for Air, what recreational facilities are available at the R.A.F. camp at Miho, Japan.
§ Mr. de FreitasThere are pitches for soccer, hockey, cricket and track athletics. There is also a gymnasium and a yacht club. In the winter there is ski-ing at Mount Dai-Sen which is nearby and which is one of the chief Japanese winter sport resorts. In the summer there is excellent sea bathing. There is a station cinema at which the programme is changed twice weekly, a canteen run by the Women's Voluntary Services and the usual Service canteens. The canteens provide indoor games such as darts, table tennis and chess.