14 Jul 1944, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

Former Labour Officer H. R, Butters gives the Red Cross a gold-filled Sheaffer's pencil to sell on his behalf.

This is the start of a new scheme: permission has been given for those with special nutritional problems and something worth selling to give the objects to the Red Cross - with a reserve price - for sale in town. The scheme will run succesfully until the end of 1944. On Rudolf Zindel's visit of December 22, he will be given items by ten internees and will manage to sell all of them at or above the reserve: Olive Redwood gets the desired M.Y. 300 for a pair of shoes, while Dr. E. W. R. Hackett's fur cape fetches M.Y. 2,700, which is 700 more than his minimum. 

But after that what Zindel calls 'the Stanley Racket' begins. The objects for sale are now given to the Red Cross through the camp guards, who identify the internees only by a number, so Zindel has no way of checking how much of the sale price goes back to the owner.

Butters's pencil will be returned to him unsold on August 25 as it fails to reach his reserve price of M.Y. 100.

Source:

Rudolf Zindel 'Complete Record of Articles Received', 27 August 1945 attached to his 'Supplementary Report to the International Committee of the Red Cross' (15 July 1946) in BG17 07 074-075, Archives of the ICRC (Geneva)