CANTON WAR PREPARATIONS
REINFORCEMENTS FROM NANKING.
TROOPS AND SHIPS IN WEST AND NORTH RIVER DISTRICTS,
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT,
CANTON'S MONEY
CRISIS.
GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO CASH NOTES,
27
VALUE SLUMPS TO 60-70 PER CENT.
GENERAL APPREHENSION,
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
CANTON, September 30.
A big wensation was created in business circles when the Canten Government Bank announced early this morning that it would not cash any of its notes, either old or new. Silver coins "have once more been made the unit for all, basizess änd Government transactions. From now on taxes and duties will have
CASTON, Sept. 30, Canton is once more in the throes of war preparations and war run ours. Military preparations against the Kwangsi-Ironsides combination are being made day and night, and large number of river junks, strem boats and other
water craft are heing commandescered for the trans portation of troups and supplies to the northern and western frontiers. The Government Arsenal at Shek- cheng is working continuously and turning set war material at topaines by the present managing speed. Practically all the best troops in the Province and most of the Canton 'Naval forces are con centrated on the West and North Rivers. All the silver in store in the Canton Government Bank is MERCHANTS PUZZLED AND being reserved for miltary pur poses, and no more banknotes are to be redeemed.
to be paid 80 per cent. in silver and 20 per cent. in Central Bank of China notes. The distinction be tween the now banknotes signed in
director, Chow in Chu, and the old one signed in English by the preceding management has been annulled, and both issues are now accepted.
AFRAID.
This sudden and unexpected change of financial policy is look General Chen Teal Tong's chief led upon by Cauton merchants with subordinates, including Brigadier. the greatest appréhension and is Generala Tsai Ting Kai, Yu Hoa expected to cause great loss and inconvenience throughout the pro- Mow, Chen Hing Wen and Mr.vince. A few days ago conadence in Tang Yio Wa, Commissioner of Government banknotes was nearly Reconstruction, have returned from restored, restrictions on the amount that could be cashed having been Nanking and are in" close touch lifted. Up to last Sunday the new with the Commander-in-Chief. banknotes were accepted at par but Those officers are expected to leave to-day the whole situation was changed by the Government's new shortly to join their troops..
and baffling policy and the notes are quoted at only 0070 per cent. of their face value,
Marabul Chiang Kai Shek is send Ing three divisions of troops from Nanking to reinforce the Kwang-
NO EXPLANATION. Lung defences. They are the 1st, 3rd and the 9th Divisions under The Central Bank is open to-day « Generals Koo Chook Tung, low as usual. But notices were posted. Ping Wen, and Chu Shao Liang, at the entrance stating the refusal respectively. They will, according to cash any more notes. No ex- to latest information, arrive inplanations were given except the Canton in eight ships in the course statement that this step was taken of the next few days and they will¦ in nccordance with the instructions "be immediately sent to the West of Mr. T. V. Soong, the Nanking ativer. They are reported to be Finance Minister: The employees some of the best troops under Chiang Kai Shek's control and this shows the importance with which the defence of Kwangtung against the Ironsides" and the Kwangai group is regarded in Nanking.
Canton is preparing to give these troops a rousing welcome and the Provincial Kuomintang is arranging for the streets to be placarded with appropriate slogans and decorated with pailaus, etc..
Rumours of all kinds are heard First this and then that general has either gone over" or declared himself independent."
THE KWANGSI POSITION.
the
THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1929.
K.O.S.B. PRIVATES AND THE SHELLEY
STREET ASSAULT.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CHARGE ROOM?
ALLEGED HOSTILE REMARKS BY THE POLICE,
PRISONERS FOLLOWED BY A BIG CROWD.
Further evidence was given yesterday at Central Magistracy against two K.O.S. B. privates who are alleged to has committed an daaault, causing serious injury to an elderly Chinese woman.
Defending solicitor suggested in cross-examination that there was an angry scene in the charge room, after the meh had been arrested, bad language and free expressions of opinion being., used by the police,
The Sergeant who made the arrest and the Inspector on duty absolutely denied this and said the only bad language beard that night was from necused, who were described as not drunk but "kind of playful.”
Privates McEwen and O'Shea, of; Mr. Strelett: Do you remember the 2nd Battalion, King's Own the second defendant asking you what the girls (witnesses in the Scottish Borderers, appeared again case) in the charge-room were say day charged with assaulting an before Mr. E. W. Hamilton yestering and your replying, "What the
elderly Chinese woman living at No. 3, Shelley Street. McEwen waa further charged with assaulting a chair coolie.
girls are saying will get you six months and twenty-four strokes of the birch, and I should like to be the one to give you the birch "~"{ Witness said he did not say any thing of the kind..
Did you hear any officer calling Mr. D. L. Strellett represented him, you are a for hitting a O'Shen.
woman I did not hear that, but I heard the second defendant eulling the Inspector on duty one.
Farther evidence was given as to the details of the assault on the old woman, .
A daughter of epmplainant said she saw her mother caught hold of by the two soldiers and thrown across the road. The soldiers did not move forward but, after swing- ing her a few times, they threw her across the road.
Answering the Magistrate, wit. ness said that there was no obscenę.
language used by police officers that night.
ROUND THE COURTS.
LAW OF THE QUEUE AMONG RICKSHA COOLIES,
Mr. T. Gibbison, 122 engineer. living at Empress Lodge, Kowloon, summoned a ricksha coolle before Mr T. S. Whyte Smith at Kow. loon Magistracy yesterday for re fusing to accept a fare.
The rickshs coolie stated that he was the last one in a queue of ten outside the Kowloon Hotel and 23 it was the accepted custom that the first ricksha` should be taken, he refused to be hired. It would have caused bad feeling aaiongst, the others.
His Lordship having expressed agreement with the defendant's statoment, Mr. Gibbison said that the defendant's ricksha was the only one outside the hotel, but that there were others in Middle Road at the rear of the Y.3.C.A. He could not call any witnesses, but
way
when the ricksha coolie brought to the police station. ties Indian constable on"point duty had told the European Sergeant on daty that the defendant was the first in the queue.
Sergeant Poyntz intimated to his Worship that according to the summary of the case supplied to the Sergeant oa duty this was not su The Indian constable had stated that he did not see anything of the incident.
His Worship dismissed the cosa and remarked that there was no evidence on which to convict.
PREVIOUS DISPUTE WITH
·RICKSHA COOLIE.
Before going into the above case," his Lordship remarked, to. Mr.
Gilbison that the Court official Mr. Strellett: Do you remember had been endeavouring to locate the second defendant asking for him to serve a summons on him for alleged assault un Bricksha facilities for reporting this matter of bad language used to him -I coolie on August 9. The aum- did not hear him.
mons was served on him as resid- Second defendant did not admiting at the Kowloon Hotel, but the to you that he had hit a woman - Court. Sergeant was informed that No.
Mr. Gibbison had left the Hotel
No charge was made against either of them before they were taken away by the military cacort?
A Chinese painter, Yue Cher, said be was with complainant at the time of the assault. He saw two soldiers staggering along the road-No. Apparently under the influence of drink. When the two men ad- vanced towards them be bolted and he did not actually see the assault.
waiting
A chair ceolie, who was for a fare outside a house in Lynd beras Terrace said thut the first defendant struck him on the nose. The blow was quite gratuitous.”
** Humming and Hawing,!'! So that if they did not know about an old woman being hit when they got into the charge-room, can you remember aaything that hap bring the matter to their mind i-- pened in the charge-room that would
The inspector told them.
Inspector Shannon's Evidence, Detective Inspector Shannon giving. of the Bank were doing practicallying evidence said that while he was nothing all day. A strong gaard walking in Caine Road on August
was stationed at the front entrance of the Government Depository.
Merchants in general and bankers in particular are exceedingly angry and upset at the Government's change of policy and uneasy as to what is coming next. Most of them are in possession of quantities of banknotes which they are trying in vain to cash. But they do not fear for their banknotes so much as
for their silver. This morning the writer was told that practically every bank in the city has in its vaults big sums of silver money and the bankers are now extremely
they could, transport the bullion to Shameen, Hong Kong. Macao er even the interior of the province. But the Government edict sternly forbids them to carry more than 850 at a time.,
13, he saw two soldiers going from East to West between Old Bailey and Shelley Strest. One of them appeared to be drank. When they got to the top of Shelley Street, the anldier who seemed to be drunk made a jump at an electric lamp standard. The other soldier, went down Old Bailey and his companion later followed him,
Caine Road and came upon Sergt. Inspector Shannon went along Howarth immediately after he left the soldier. The Inspector warned Sergt. Howarth to sec that the
Did you hear their answert There was a lot of obscene language and they were humming and haw.
in answer to their charge -
Humming and hawing 1 Is that you could get nothing but swear- words from the second "defendant that night.
whatever 1-Not to my knowledge.
There was no provocation for that It was pointed out at this stage that the Police had originally in- tended to charge the defendante with disorderly behaviour in the charge room but the charge was not proceeded with.
The Charge Room Inspector. in the charge room as Inspector on Inspector John Murphy, who was
duty on the night in question,
what the offence was. The inter preter had questioned one of the witnesses and told the Inspector in English what was alleged. This was in the hearing of the defend- ants who were in the dock.
17 days previously.
Mr. Gibbjson" replied that he did not think he was in Hong Kong on August 27. He was in Singa
pore.
The case was adjourned until to-day.
11/YEAR OLD OPIUM RUNNER?
A Chinese youth eleven years of age, described as a "house" boy at 236 Kowloon Tong, was charged with possession of 113 taels of Defendant said that he opium. was sent by his master to the Rail-
Worship that the police went to way Station to fetch the opium.
Sergeant Armitt, informed his
the address it the master had gone. It was probable that the master hud given the boy a cer tain time to get the opium and on afraid and absconded. the latter's non-return, be got
A reinand was granted in order to allow the police to locate the
master.
A SNATCHER BIRCHED.
For enatching a hangle from a child in Yaumati a Chinese was sentenced to six months! hard In reply to his Worship, Sergeant Bright said that the bangle was stolen while the child was being earried on its mother's back. The child's arm was not injured.
It ecems fairly certain that the apprehensive far the safety of their soldiers did not create trouble in stated that the Sergeant on bring labour and 15 strokes of the birch..
boards. They said they would, if the Chinese district towards which ing in the defendants had stated Kwangi military leaders are
they were going. the Ironsides and are working against the Nanking regime and Chiang Kai Shek. The Min Kua Daily News, the official organ_of the loca! Kuomintang, has to-day admitted that Kwangsi is full of reactionary atmosphere stirred up by the Extremiste and Ko Tso elique. At Nanning, Communist logans have already appeared in the streets. The present Kwangsi regime is undoubtedly in leaguo with the Ironsides, and this is causing great anxiety in Canton and Nanking.
KWANGS! AND THE *** IRONSIDES.”
CAPITAL LEVY FEARED.
One merchant thus expressed to the writer, the general feeling in business circle:-
Old Woman Lying in the Road. Sergt. Howard, giving evidence, stated that acting on the directions of the last witness be. went to Shelley Street. As he turned into the street, he saw a crowd of people and forcing his way through it saw an old woman lying on the He made inquiries, in con- road. sequence of which he ran down Hollywood Road accompanied by a Chinese epantable and about eight or nine other persons.
Witness further added that he definitely explained both offences to the defendants who disclaimed of knowledge of them. Continuing, witness said he sent two officers out to make investigations, but before their return a military escort had taken the defendants away.
Mr. Hamilton: Did you hear either of them ask what the girls were saying No.
the street
FIGHTING FOR 'WATER.
A fight which arose over question of turns et fountain, resulted in two Chinese appearing before Mr. Whyte Smith for disorderly conduct hy fighting. They were fined $5 each. THIRTEEN UNLUCKY
GAMBLERS.
This uncertainty and insecurity is giving us a lot of worry. The Government for all we know may resort to its old-game of forcing Witness turned into Lyndhurst each bank to part with 40 or 50 Terrace where he saw the two de- per cent. of its cash. This has been fendants "walking as fast as they Did you hear Sergt. Howarth Thirteen Chinese were summon- done in the past and there is no
What they ed before Mr.. Whyte Smith for could away from the junction of saying to them that telling when it will occur again. Lyndhurst Terrace and Gage are saying will get you six months gambling at 36 Reclamation Street. We are trying to hide our silver Street.
and twenty-four strokes" 1—" 1 | Two, who were husband and wife,
It was stated that the husband was the commission agent, while the wife held a watching brief! They were fined 850 each, while the eleven others were fined 83. The money, amounting to 84.26, be confiscated together with the cards.
According to the vernacular and are prepared for the worst." In answer to His Worship, wit can't say. There was a lot of lang-were further summoned for keep- Press, there are keen dissensions
The Government has to-day order. Reas said that the men did not unge going on. Some police officer, ing a common gaming house. among the Kwangsi troops. It is fed the payment of all the revenues reported that General Lui Woon Im one month in advance, 80 per cent.
appear to him to be actually drunk. I think, said Cowardly act, as but kind of playful.'
Witness ndu- Witnesssaulting a woman?. has become an opponent to the in silver and 90 per cent. in paper added that after their arrest
ed that that did not come from any present regime of Kwangsi which is money, except from certain mono-
of the officers on duty. He did Lot crowd of from three to four hundred alleged to be in alliance with the polists like the holders of the To followed the soldiers to the station,
hear the police swear at all. "Ironsides." It is understood bacco, Wine, and the Opium Mono Mr. Hamilton: You are prepared Continuing, witness said that first self "independent." when the time silver is demanded. that General -Lui will declare him polies, from whom 100 per cent. to swear that you saw the old lady defendant was calmer than the found on the table was ordered to is opportune...
The general idea is that the Goy- Information from various sources states that in view of the attitude crament must be very short of silver notwithstanding its repeated of General Lui, the present Kwang. si regime headed by General Yu statements to the public to the Trok Pak has decided to sever rela contrary. The collection of re- seek assistance from Kwangtung against the new insurgents.
tions with the Ironsides " and
General Lui has over 20,000 troops at Wachow under his command.
SINGAPORE AS EXTREMIST
RENDEZVOUS?
venues in advance is the first step towards replenishing the vaults in the Central Bank with silver.
MAGISTRATE SHOT BY
BANDITS.
lying in the road before you arrest- ed these two men 1-Yes, Sir.
Speaking of the crowd which had gathered round the soldiers, the Magistrate asked if the crowd was threatening
Witness: Not threatening, but they appeared to be anxious to get at the soldiers.
"
Alleged Charge-room Amenities. Mr. Strellett in cross-examination asked what the witness said to de- fendants on arresting them. Wit- inness replied that he told them that he wanted them to go to the station as they were accused of assaulting an old woman in Shelley Street and an old man in Lyndhurst Terrace.
Mr. Strellett: Did you not say Never mind about talking here, come along."
Witness: No, I did not. Continuing, Sergt. Howarth said that the brat defendant was willing to go, but the second was not.
Word "has been received Canton that Wong On Fou, the A rumour is current in the Colony magistrate of Yaoping district in that Wang Ching Wei, the leader castern Kwangtung has been shot of the Left Wing of the Küemin-ly bandits. The magistrate was tang, hae arrived in Singapore conducting asinal! campaign on from Paris, Mr. Chen Kung Pk bis own initiative against the local and Madame Liao Chung Kai, two brigands but he and his man were
hava
The gone surrounded' and routed. prominent extremists, to Singapore, it is said, to meet magistrate and a number of his him: It is also learned that party were captured alive and on Madame Sun Yat Sen who passed the following day, he was shot. through the Colony last week is The Canton military authorities also going to Singapore where have now instructed the troops un conference will be held to discuss der Chiang Kwong Nai in Swatow the situation.
to suppress the bandits.
second. A
Mr. Strellett; You admit that neither of these men were definitely charged that night No. It is con- trary to the regulations. I have to Bee a superintendent before I can do so.
It is very extraordinary, isn't it-It is an understanding.
Did you give both men a fair chance of answering the accusation against them -The case was be fore them in a public manner just as the proceedings are being carried Mr. Hamilton "painted out that on in this court to day, There was the reason was probably, to ascer- na hole-and-corner business about tain whether the men were to be it. tried by Court Martial or by the Civil Court.
4
Witness stated that when the Sergeant of the escart called at the Police station he was given a form No Hole-and-Corner Business,
bearing the naines of the defendant. Mr. Strellett asked witness whe- Under the heading "Offence" the ther there was a possibility of no witness. had filled in the one word accusation having been definitely" Assault." He had' given node- brought against the defendant be tails.. fore they left the charge room f Mr. Strellett: I put it to you Witness: There was a definite that when the charges were proper- accusation if they were intelligently and formally drawn up, what happened was that the first defend- enough to understand it.
You think there was a possibility ant admitted striking the man, but that they did not 1-Yes, they were that both denied the Shelley Street so excited.
Assault -Tel.:
Mr. Strellett suggested that there had been no mention of an old woman being struck. Witness did ed one.
not agree.
Even the calmer one 1-He was following the example of the excit (Continued on next Column).
The case will be continued next. Monday at 11:30a.m. when it is hoped that the old woman will be' well enough to give evidence.
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