Y
Films
ONLY A
LIMITED SUPPLY
AVAILABLE
AI
FRANCIS WU'S STUDIO
2.Gloucester Arcade
CHINA MAIL
No. 33581.
For THE NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE, LTD;
ESTABLISHED FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS
#HONG KONG, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1947.
FIRE SWEEPS RIVER STEAMER IN Song
EARLY HOURS OF
MORNING
Over 130 Dead In "Sai On" Disaster Ghastly Scenes In Hold
The burned and mutilated bodies of 136 people are today lying in the Hong Kong mortuary, while 25 were taken to hospital and many are still un- accounted for, as a result of one of the worst fire tragedies the Colony has ever known, when the Hong Kong-Canton river steamer "Sal On" caught fire just before. 5 o'clock yesterday morning, Although the exact number of those on board at
the time of the disaster will probably never be known. Mr. E. H. Baker, assistant manager of the Tung On Steamship Co., owners of the "Sai On," stated that 187 tickets were sold but that at least 160 others were on board who had not yet purchased tickets or were seeing friends off. Of the drew of 120, seven are missing. Among those dead is the nine-year-old daughter of Sergt. A. S. Santos, of the Police Emergency Unit, Mrs. Santos, who was on board the ship with her daughter bidding farewell to friends, was separated from the child when the fire broke out by panie stricken passengers who struggled to the sides of the boat.
Captain A. Wherry was in Included in the list of dead is the 22-yearudd sister of Mr. his cabin awake at the timel
shouting and Leung, who were sleeping in
thought it was same disorder on
when he heard
Lucky Che, of the Cheong Wo
G.O.C.'S QUARTERS BOMBED
Aleandrin, Feb. 3.
A bomb replaced on the boleong of the room occupied by the General Officer Com dinding
Farina. Brifigh Alexandria, ut the Linion Chib, near the British Con- sulate here lanight,
The bomb, which in brlieren to hare berg home-made, was opmcaratly thrown from the aleret, bat onard no damage
enanalties-Reuter,
H.K. Ship Held By Dutch
Batavia, Feb. 3.
Two British ships, the Kitakami Maru (508 tons) of Singapore and the Empire May Rover (100) tons of Hong Kong were
BRITISH VIEW ON POLAND
London, Feb. 3. The British „Čavernoteat does not regard the resulta af. the Polish election as a true expression of the will at the Pelish people, anid Mr. Chris- topher
Farcign Under's Mayhew,
mentary reply
ia a Perlin.
"The British me in
Moscow had expressed to M. Melotoy the British GovETY-. went's deep concern, at the Soviet Government's reply to the British and United Sinter Governments that they did not agree that there was die. crimination-Reuter,-
unit of the Netherlands Major To
Wed Greek
Navy off the republican port of Cheribon on Monday and brought to Batavia under armed guard.
According to the British Con-
Princess
Athens, Feb. 3.
sus the masters of both vessels The engagement was
Price: 20 Cents.
Plugging Scandal
London, Feb. 4. Britain's Tin Pan Alley was singing the blues to- day and the man beating time for the melancholy chorus was Valentine Holmes, K.C., who is in- quiring into charges of bribery in the B.B.C.
The noted prosecutor told music publishers at a private meeting that he wanted song plugging-giving of money on rifty to get songs played n the radio-wiped
out im- mediately. He suggested the publishers find some method of doing this themselves. The al- ternative, he hinted, might be legislation against the practice and prosecution for any violn-
tion...
With sheet music in the worst depression in the century hecause of alleged discrimina tion by the BBC against dance tures, publishers now have panicky feeling that a ban on plugging may completely rain some firms.
We Buy and Sell
TYPEWRITERS
CALCULATING MACHINES also Anything and Everything for OFFICE MACHINES Excellent Service - me Hongkong Typewriter Exchange
9, D'Agullar St.
Tel. 21433
SUGGESTION TO
H.K. CHINESE
Lindon, Feb. 4.
A stand by the "more responsible Chinese resi- dents" in Hong Kong against anti-foreign and especially anti-British propaganda 'is one of the remedies for obviating the present situa- tion in which Hong Kong is a "suburb of Can- ton," according to "Sinimite" writing in the February issue of the "National Review."" The writer points out that Hong Kong has made
greater progress towards economic recovery and in rehabilitation than any other city on the China coast that has suffered to anything like the same extent from the Japanese occu-- pation. A stable currency, rigid price control and the maintenance of law and order have at- tracted at least a million Chinese immigrants since VJ-day, he says. The article deals at considera connection with minor Ipcal in---
British tcidents are mentioned. ble length with the Government's efforts to assist and to show its sympathy with China, and the part played in points out that those efforts this policy by Hong Kong, He
have met with no gratitude or reciprocity.
(Continued on Page "8, Cul; 7).
"VAMPIRE MAN”
AT LARGE
throat and
at
Paris, Feb; 4. Twenty-five women. three of Although, for example. Chin- whom have been attacked and ese commercial planes fly into bitten about the and out of Hong Kong freely body, have been chased by the
Rueil- and even carry passengers to "Vampire" Man"
ucar British aircraft are Malmaison, Calcutta,
Versailles, usually impounded when they during the
past two months. made emergency landings at No woman now dares to leave. Chinese air bases.
her house at night without an Plugging is a problem in all
which Countries In
The rule prohibiting Kuomin- armed escort. popular music publishing is a
Lang activities in the Colony, | Qne woman, Madame Jean- business. notably the United
which was enforced in pre-war nette Gordon, 26-year-old typist... States, England and France and days, has now been relaxed to is still in a semi-coma frem
dangerous Infiltration.
The she had been attacked by the tria. The public must hear a song to buy it and no one is Kuomintang has branch offices Vampire Man" on Jan. 15,-- more aware of this than many
in Hong Kong, he says. It has Renter. who are the link between the intimidation, of the band leaders and singers sought sometimes by barefaced to gain control of the entire vernacular press. publisher and the public
with. the result that seldom article friendly to
big
shipchandlers. When Miss Che's the ship.. He tried to go down [ "dress cases" were sent home., reported that they proceeded to announced by the Greek pre-war in Germany and Aus. such an extent as to permit of shock and loss of blood, after
body was brought out of the the companionway, but was waler she had a bruise on her driven back by the fire and
Spread Rapidly
Rescue Efforts
Fire Brigade officers saw nge blaze from their premises, and immediately rushed Lo shin. The dry float was sent onl
within a few minutes of dr and
Cheribon with Dutch permission,
the Edt after loading cargoes of rub-court tonight of Princess temple. It was likely she was | smoke.
ber they were intercepted by a Katherine of Greece, the dazed after a blow of eume
the Dutch corvette four and a half
youngest sister of King miles outside Cheribon. kind before jumping over-
Mr. B. Anderson, Chief bard, as she was able to aw Officer, attempted to use the
The master of the Empire May George of the Hellenes,
British Less than thirty minutes
Major ship's hose in the fire, but had no pumping & the Rover, whose ship was involved and
rate of 3,500 gallons of water after he boarded the
in a similar incident last Decem-Richard C. Brandram of #fated
3. Lewis, the number of firemen who were
minut. ship for Canton, Tam Huen, sun to give up. 30-year-old cook at the Taiping end engineer, who was in his Restaurant, aw smoke coming cabin heard shouts of "Fire". Grd on the seene, including offi-seized and not returned his ship's the Royal Artillery. "a few feet away from some! He quickly donned his hoiler!ers Browne, Brooks and Smith,
drums and wooden cases near suit with the intention of help which I was standing,
ing with the pump, bat was "Within a minute I saw a greeted by a wall of fame as flash and then fire rising about he stepped out of his cabin and
to the wharf.
an
managed to get into the hold of the ship and helped a few people out, but they were driven back by the intense heat. Ar Brown was burred around the shoulders and
hix efforts. Captain Wherry, who
ber, claimed that the Dutch had
popers.
Major Brandram is a mem- Four British ships have report ber of the British military mis- ed that they have been interceptor to Iraq
Princess Katherine, born in ed and searched since Jan. 28 when the Netherlands East Indies 1913, first met Major Brandram on board a liner last April Government amounced stringent new regulations virtually banning while travelling from Egypt to
England.
three feet off the floor hei was lucky to be able to jump arms as a result of his ether all export from both Dutch and
said in an interview. "At once. I grabbed my wife, and rushed
to the staircase. I myself iram
pled over at least five trag gling bodies on the steps to go up
"My wife reached the top and escaped, But someone pulled me back by my overcoat, It was then that I got hurned But still I managed to rush away before the fire gat me seriously. I believe
was the last to leave, too."
Tam. suffering from minor burns, said he saw children being trampled by elders, and women pushed aside by the stronger.
"It seemed like every man for himself. I can still hear cries of 'Save me! I will die! ringing in my ear.”
Of the fireTam said it "burned faster than paper. never saw anything burning Bo fast."
The fire, which
with his chief oficer and 1st and broke out 2nd engineers and four Chines
just before the ship was due cicers, are safe, said yesterday
then the
and
Indonesian territories without Dutch permission.-Asso-
Russia Has The Secret?
to wail. started on the bottom that the fire started from internal clated Press. deck in the stern. It spread combustion in the engine room *Tha rapidly, lit the companionway near the steerage kitchen,
of cargo inflammable
cotton. had
saloon deck.
paper rubber, helped the Flames ran swiftly along the blaze to engu
practically the en- saloon deck, and the length of
tire Live superstructure, trapping the boat deck. An esterly storage passengers behind a steel wind fanned the fire and within grille at the stern. Behind these ten minutes of the alarm the closed grilles the passengers were ship was like a blazing inferno. trapped like rats.
Another survivor, Lau Wai Chau, 64, was sitting half way on the staircase leading to the deck when she said she heard shouts of "fre".
"I rushed to the
י.
Washington, Feb. 4. Bernard M. Baruch hos TO- number Lean from both sides of the shipmittee that there is evidence that of them jumped over-portedly told a U.S. Senate Com- while others tank refuge on the
Busein
u some has penetrated rafters of the pier and were res extent the secrecy wall the United end later by the fire brigade. States
He has
erected around produc- Sone Bremen and European
tion of the atomic bomb. deck and paliceme who jumped into The Baruch's testimony, given in a clused session of the Senate atomle committee, was summarked by one committee member and con- firmed by another Rindicating
threw myself into the sea after harbour to rester passengers who leaped overbeard, found their seeing no way of escape," sheathing or personal belongings suid. "That was one time I had been stolen when they reach was glad I was unable to sleeped the shore, Inspector Kinloch, with, so much noise around." who left his shoes behind when he lived in to save 'ené passenger. She was saved by a fireman while she was unconscious.
Mrs. Lau was accompanied by her daughter and a niece who
1
found on his return that his shoes,
had been taken,
Bodies Piled Up Yesterday afternoon the "Sa
that Russin tid esined necesa Lo
some highly secret information. It apparently did not know ex- actly what it meant or how to use it.
Tam lost his luggage but hit wife anveda plastic bag containing a toothbrush, a tube were going to Canton to study. Un" was still smouldering. A closed its doors to the public fol...''
af toothpaste, a cuke of soup and a towel which she held in her hands as she frantically struggled to safety.
Lucky Escapes · Two of the ship's vaccinators Messrs. Y. L. Mok and T.. L.. their cabin the saloon deck, were awakened by crles of "Save Life" and "Fire". Rush- ing out of his cabin, Mok Lund flames coming towards him, and Immediately jumped
Into
a
small sampan at the alon of the ship and scrambled to the pier. His co-worker, Leung,
The latter two also escaped. butted wreck front stern to bow
She was among 25 cases was all that fremained of the ill- brought to the Queen Mary 1ated ship. The floor of the two Hospital by the Fire Brigade upper decks bad sunk at least Ambulance. Only five were ad- the burned super-structure. The three feet, owing to the weight' of mitted and seven were sent to another hospital. The others, (Continued on Page 8. Col. 5)
Churchill Back-Chat With A Plumber
Denver, Colorado, Feb. 3.
jumped os to a hawser and An erudite plumber with the improbable name of
swung on to the pier.
sustained cuts
Mok
and bruises
about the forehead."
The wife and child of a
Chinese Fire Brigade Sub-
Athur Willy fixed a faulty plug in. Randolph Churchill's bath room here and engaged him in a debate' as heated as his father Winston sometimes encounters in the House of Com- mons.
4/
mean?".
to
The Princess recently return- ed to Greece from (her visit to England' to seek the consent of her brother, the King.
The wedding is expected take place soon-Reuter.
MONTY ON· HOLIDAY
Mr. Holmes discovered plug-
THE WEATHER
“A romigratė ruth-cyclone over NE Ca...
extending E. and Southward, A drops depression remains to the NE of Heskid
A wave or depression: is
} Southwestward.
the equatorli!" regiona Eastward
ging payments to artists while docs any examining allegations in Parlia Great Britain appear in any from it-touch extends to and ment that fur coats and other local Chinese paper. Its journaling in the vicinity of the Ryukyse. gratuities had been given to lats magnify" and distort every Prewire is low to the R of Luzon and BBC executives. One British local incident with a view Lover singer, for example demanded The Kuomintang is also seek inflaming anti-British feeling. and received £90 to sing a song onet besides his
ing to subvert the Hong Kong broadcasting
educational system, he adds.
fce.
This is exceptional in Eng- land where plugging depends on the selling pull of the artist. and ranges between £5 and 240 per plug or performance of a song.
Some performers still play or sing a song simply because they like it but they are. a great minority.
Entirely Wrong
:
Burne
and NE winds Initure, sinong NE .. bor, clear to partly cloudy, mianki, ins
Today's forecast 5-Médérico","ür = fresti.
creasing leter
Troterday's Weather:- Maximum, Ghis dog. Fah.
· Minimum: 01.) den. Fah. Sunshine; 10,#, bouží.
In the writer's view it is Raffall: 1.8. Total since Jan. 167.3 mm, entirely wrong that Chinese na ngainst an averaue of kid bin. interests in the Colony should
Kendinga t 10a.m.
..
be represented by the Com-an, at mad. 1024, 1020,4 mb.. missioner for Foreign Affairs Rel. Humidity of. Kwangtung and
Kwangsi,, wind Direction thus, in effect, treating Hong wind Forre Kong as a suburb of Canton.
Now publishers say if they China ought to be represent- cannot make an opus financially ed by a consular official with London, Feb. 5.
attractive to performers it may the implied recognition of the Field Marshal Viscount Mont-
mean that the day of a "hit fact that he is a foreign re- Komery, Chief of Imperial Gen- eral Staff, left by sea for Calais Bong"-almost always a manu-presentative on British soil.
factured success-will be over. The deliberately hostile agita- today on his way. to Switzerland,
will big profits-United Cone fomented from Canton in where he is spending a month's So
Press. oliday. Reuter.
Chalk Pit Murder Case Evidence
London, Feb. 3.
The chalk pit murder charge was resumed at
West London police court today.
No members would comment publicly after the committes had losing a hearing in which Baruch
In the dock were Thomas Joh blamed scientists for "Iambasting"
Ley (66), company director and 1945 the Smith report. This re- the Army into making public in former Minister of Justice of New South Wales, and Lawrence Ján
on atomic energy port was prepared by Henry de
Smith (38), accused of the mur- Wolf
Smith and contained data der of John McBain Mudie (85), ex-Eighth Army corporal barman David Lilienthal, nominated to
at the Reigate Hotel, whose body be chairman of the atomic energy was found on Nov. 30 last year -commfasion, has criticised the re-in a chalk pit at Woldingham lease of these reports.Associat- | Common Surrey...
It was slated at
a previous hearing that Mrs. Brooke, a widow of 66, had known Ley in Austra-. lia. She had given evidence that she had lived with Ley since com Ing to England with her daugh- ter. Ley, she said, Ipft Australla before she did.
ed Press,
Puri, week.
STRİKE AT NORTHOLT
40-hour
Europe Thaws Out
London, Feb. 4. Europe thawed slowly today after its worst cold wave in 50 yeers bringing the danger of floods, bursting pipes and slush covered streets.
rose
As the temperature - steadily in most of Europe, plumbers were kept busy with calls to repair pipes and sprinklera which burst flood- ing basementi.
London, Feb. 4. One hundred flight engineers struck today at Northall air-
demanding
In Britain, hundreds of acres Shortly after the resumption
were flooded in Teesdale and the magistrate decided that Kath-West Durham and many rivers The strike, coupled with badleen Mary Inglesen, of Morden,
filled weather. delayed most flights formerly private secretary to Ley,
with ice were rising from the airport.tv/ should be treated as a hostile wit-with their crest yet to be Oficer were lucky that they The conversation according to low Churchill?”;
sald A spokesman were just a few minutes late. Churchill went like this.
theness. In reply to questions by reached.-United Press Churchill-life's my father.". workers' demands had been Mr. Morgan, prosecuting, Mias They intended to travel to Churchill There's something | WMy--Well I don't like his before the proper authorities Ingleton said that Ley told her
London, Feb. 3. Canton by the boat and were wrong with the plumbing policy of putting all those kings for the past four months but he thought Mrs. Brooke had been
The majority of Britishs' Over- seus being escorted by the Sub-1
other men associating with
ERT Airways Corporation Willy-"Well, there's something back.")
nothing had come of them,——
vices were subject to delays from Officer when, near the Fire wrong everywhere in the world Churchill"Which ones do you Limited Press.
Clifford Noel Tamplin gave London, airport today, departures Brigade Station, he saw the today."
evidence that he was walking nor to India, South Africa, America flamea, He sent his wife and Churchill"For four years Willy"France, Italy, Greece." BOEING FIRE the chalk pit where the body of and Australia being delayed at child back while he himself millions of Americans complained Churchill-Well the only one
murdered man was found,Jeast 24 hours,Reuter, Gibraltar, Fet., 3
when joined the Fire Float for duty, about the plumbing in England: that got back was the King of Several men of an American Heterned and ran back to his i he saw a man on top of it. Sub-Inspector Todd was in. What about this? I draw my bath Griese and that was after my crew of a Boeing flying boat be
father got kicked ouLu* jured while carrying out toscue and all the water runs cut.
longing to Universal Airlines of cart a terrifle pace." WILLICAN work at the height of the fire, shave and when I try to rinse
Willy"Anoway H. G. Wells Miami, Florida, were burned and said that he had picked the defen- He had left the ship a few away my whiskers all the water way the only intelligent men Eng-taken to hospital when their
and ever had." stays in.***
aircraft caught fire in the. minutes before the fire, after
Ad-
Allegations of Police Corrup To that Churchill had no anenizalty harbour here today. you doing
Chief Inspector. Philpott of [carrying out the
tion. customary Wally-"What are
The alrcraft which is being Scotland Yard said Smith when Page Three wer. The plumber completed his anti-piracy search and is on Churchill "I'm lecturing about work and left, da je
salvaged, was formerly used by shown the rag and rope found "European FOALA. Lor Local- hu way to starch another ship Europeans and writing about the
th US Navy during the war, on the body replied: “That is
Bom when his attention wan altract-Americans.".
Churchill will Tecture today on She arrived here yestrday from what we used to gag
him and the British Empire and the roo-Bermuda en rikte from Athens rope like the ong I bought, wi
Palestine Ultimatum, dern world. He will not discuss where she was to pick up Greek: I can't say for sure."
Page Eight American Plumbing Associated seamen who tre feining ihip at The case was then adjourned Brilliant Test Ba Press.
E ÎNew Orleans-Reuter."
Reuter
ed by the cries and flamps, He poimmediately returned to the
Sit On
over here?
WillyWhat's your name?" Churchill Churchill"
Willy"Any relation to Wins
I
the
ON OTHER PAGES dent Smits out at an identification Page Two parads as the man he had seen.
H
Paner Fis
Barland,
D'
Dew Polat ..
#T
40 dar, P.
N
10
krots..
א :
Berlin, Feb. 4.
. Oncial statistics showed that 2.4 per cent of all babics born in Berlin from October, 1945. until last September were born out of wedlock-Associated Press.
MY FAVORITE PAINT
JUST ARRIVED
SHERWIN
PAINTS
WILLIAMS
KEM TONE
Why waste money unnecessarily! Paint your- self a lovely new room with Sherwin-Williams KEM TONE the miracle flat wall finish-in various lovely colours: IVORY, CREAM, YORKTOWN WHITE, MIDLAND GREEN and WELLINGTON BUFF. It is a new synthetic resin and oil finish which is wash- able. Very economical one gallon mixed with half gallon of water does an ordin- ary sized room - Over 35,000,000 gallons al- -ready sold in U.S.A. during 1946.
E. OTT & CO. LID Sol Distriśvitons
5. Queen's RD. Contral