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VOL. II NO. 113
The
For the Proprietor of HONGKONG TELEGRAPIL For end on behalf of
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, LTD,
Printer and Publisher
Hongkong Telegraph.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1947.
ALL OF BRITAIN ON FUEL
Lad Admits Murder
Manchester, Feb. 12.
A 10-year-old labourer sullenly told the Manchester Juvenilo Court to-day that he strangled Shella Gowre, 10-year-old victim In one of Britain's two recent
"one shoe" murders.
ho
The youth, Joseph Gibson, was charged with murder after told the Court, "I have nothing to say. It is true."
The police said the boy made
a voluntary statement on the crime,but added that it would not be made pubile at present.
The magistrate, Mr J. Welles- Jey Orr, ordered Gibson
held
in custody and approved a pay- chiatric examination of the boy. Gibson was arrested last night at a farm home near Wintern Derbyshire, where he worked as a. labourer.United Press,
MARKETING MEREKA MEAT LİMANINSKOMSTERDALE JA
China's Currency
ACTION IS PROMISED
Nanking, Feb. 12.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Peng Hsueh-pel, though des clining to give a detailed com- ment, told a press conference to. day that the Government will take "adequate measures" to con- trol China's wildly fluctuating exchange markel.
He called the currency fluctuations "symptoms of a deep-rooted disense, resulting from eight years of Japanese aggression and two years
<ver-increasing of
Communist
destruction".
Mr Feng said that the Chinese people must not delude themselves by thinking that the situation can be remedied through changing the nome of the Chinese currency and adjust-
RESTRICTIONS Palestine
Country Goes Back To Wartime Footing
SITUATION "DANGEROUSLY CRITICAL"
London, Fab. 12. .
The Government, acting under wartime emergency powers, to- night extended electricity restrictions to all England, Scotland and Wales, ordered gaol sentences and fines of violators and announced a series of drastic manpower and transport measures to speed move- ment of coal to Britain's fuel-starved power stations.
The announcement from No 10 Downing Street said that the Prime Minister, Mr Clement Attlee, had established a joint committee of Cabinet Ministers and Coal, electricity and railway executives and ordered this committee to work to overcome the crisis with "the same speed and urgency as a military operation during the, war."
advised that the situation remains dangerously critical,"
"The meeting was the announcement said,
The Joint Committee-correspon~ ding to a General staff in wartime decided on the following measures:
1. Restrictions on domestic elec- trielly consumption will be applied to all. England, Scotland and Wales from to-morrow morning. The res- trieted hours to be 8.30 am to 11.30 am, and 1.30 pr.; to 3.30 pm. In the Middle East and North-east of Eng- land and throughout Scotland, and from Da.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. in the remainder of the country,
2. Domestic consumers who violate restrictions will be punished under Defence Regulation 55, which pro- vides for gaol rentences or fines or both. No specfle sentences were men- tioned, however,
3. There shall be no ban on In- dustrial electricity consumption In the newly-affected areas of Scot- Jand and north-east, mideast und south-west England.
4. Consumption of any form of fuel for dog-racing shall be prohlhi-
Parleys Collapse
Case May Be Sent To United Nations
•
London, Fob. 12. The final breakdown of the Palestine Conference came to- day when the Foreign Secre- tary, Mr Ernest Bevin, told the Arab delegates at the resumed conference that the British Goverument had been trying to find a middle course in the Palestine problem but had met with no spirit of compromise on either side.
Mr Bevin regretfully said that he would have to report the failure to reach any agreement to the British Cabinet on Friday and that he would like to meet the Arab delega- tions once more to convey to them the Cabinel's views.
It was agreed therefore that the conference should have one more session on Friday afternoon.
Mr Bevin told the Arab deloga-
ted immediately under Defence Re- tions that if the two parties could gulation 55.
5.
service.
Railway passenger including night
where expresses shall necessary,
be cancelled wherever auch netion will permit the running of extra coal trains.
6. All possible steps, including the discharge of coal in London docks not normally used by colliers, shall be taken immediately to speed the turn-around of colliers
in the Thanies,
POWER TO REQUISITION SUPPLIES
7. The Labour Minister, Mr George | ing the exchange rate or customs Isaacs, after consulting Trade Unions, tariffs. "Only by an early resump-shull immediately organise a supply tion of our reconstruction work and
of additional civilian labour to help by applying the motto "hard work untoud coal cars. The co-operation and strict economy' can we find the
of the Army, Navy and Air Force anaemic also will be secured. fundamental cure of our condition", he said.
8. The
userp
3,812,000. Unofficial estimates had put the gure at more than 4,000,000.
The
Ministry said 612,000 of the temporarily jobless had applied for unemployment benents. Most of the remainder, It
not settle the problem by themselves and if they would not accept the proposals which had been made by the British delegation, he thought the Government would probably have to submit the whole matter to the United Nations-Beuter.
GIVES UP COMMAND
Jerusalem, Feb, 12. General Sir Evelyn Barker, General-Omcer Commanding the British troops in Palestine is rellably reported to-day to have relinquished his command and left by air
on his way
hig
Britain. His successor Major-General G. A. MacMillon, is expected to reach Palestine by otr
Cairo
und-
for
Bath General General MacMillan are reported to be dining to-night with General Sir Dempsey, Commander-in-Chief
Miles of
was said, probably the Middle East land 10 departure
will receive their regular wages this Before General Barker's week under the guaranteed
work from Palestine was known, it was agreements.
thal he had granted an janounced Nearly 90% of boot and shoe pro- "Indefinite" respite in the death sen- duction has stopped, throwing tence imposed on
the Hungarian country's 80.000 out of work. Half the Jew Dov Gruner for his attack_on.
Palestine police station.
11. Mr Shinwell and Mr Barnes al were authorised to cali in Service personnel and transport and to
take all other steps to speed movement of open cast coal stocked on the ground. 12. It is impossible to tell when electricity restrictions may be relax Minister, Mr Al-ed, but Industrial consumers will be GOVT. CONFIDENT
fred Barnes, will arrange immediate given priority over domestic Mr Peng said that the
Guvernly for a supply of trucks to assist in
when restrictions are eased. ment was confident that it can cope unloading of coal curs. with present crisis. "Adequate mea- sures are being taken and will be
said, taken," he
What these - men-- eures are, however, whether they would involve a a change in China's gold policy, whether the Central Bank of China would continue to sell
effort to stabilise the cur In gold rency, whether the currency would be devalued, whether a substitute would be worked out for the export subsidy plan or whether any other plan would be instituted Mr Peng refused to comment.
Any reply to such questions, he sald, would without fall directly affect the market, and added: "This year will be the most difficult on the road to economic convalescence;”
Meanwhile, although
of Prices gold-bars and United States dollars sharply declined in Nanking to-day, theres was no fall in commodity prices. Crowds siruggle in front of flour shops to be the first in line. while first grade rice virtually dis- appeared from the market with the maximum purchase of only 17 pounds possible.-Reuter.
EDITORIAL
9. The Fuel Minister, Mr Em- manuel Shiawell, was authorised to exercise power to requisition coal supplies where it is necessary to divert coal from the original con- signee in order to insure a more rapid turn around of coal cars 10. Electric supply plants were authorised to reduce their voltage by Ave per cent, both during the day and night, in order to save power.
Power restrictions now affect all 40.000.000 persons on this island is varying degrees and put Britain back on a war fooling to meet st gravest industrial crisis since the general strike in 1820,
The Labour Minister, in its first official esilmate, placed the number left jobless by the 100% cut 122 electricity to non-essential factories in London, Southeast England, the Midlands and Northwest England,
"Clothing" "factories and nearly all textile plants were closed. Virtually all London and Leeds kidnapped and held for four days To-day, Major Collins, who was
High Wycombe, suspended furniture factories, and half those in by Jewish terrorists as a hostage for tions.
opera- Gruner, left hospital where he has January been since his release on More than 100 biscuit and cake 30, and moved into one of the barbed manufacturers closed. Ninety per cent of baby carriage works were
in Jerusalem, wire security zones which shut-United Press.
the Jocal Jewish
press describes as "British ghettos".
The illegal immigrant ship reported to have been intercepted by British destroyers off Halfo was still "some. along ley reads to where in the Mediterranean late to-day." according to official sources In Jerusalem.
IDLENESS TO SPREAD, PREDICTION
Warning that coal supplies for gas, industries were diminishing past the danger point, the Ministry of Fuel and Power called for "renlly serious economy" to guarantee gas stocks for bakeries and other essential in- dustries, reports Assoclated Press.
As in the case of electricity, many millions are entirely dependent upon heating. gas-made from coal-for home
Coal savings resulting from elec tricity cuts on Tuesday, second day of the blackout order, totalled 24,500
China's Other Sorrow
TF China's only sorrow were the Yellow River her present and future worries would be bearable. ` Nature has methods of obliterating the scara left by her fury, but the wounds caused by man's avarice, stupidity and amoral behaviour can never be completely hoúled. China's wors anomy herself; her disinterested Intellectuals acknowledge it, and her to-day genuine friends grieve'over it. It gives no pleasure to roach this conclusion, but it cannot be dented in the light of the continual manifestations of the country's political and moral bankruptcy.
་ ་ ་
tons-2,000 tons more than on Mon- day-metals announced.
trucks skidded coal mines. With a major portion of the na- tion's economy disrupted unemplox- Rader-equipped warships escorted ment figures rose sharply. Between coal ships through the stormy North 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 men alrendy Sea toward London. have been thrown into Idleness, a takes 36 hours for colliers to run Normally, it Board of Trade spokesman estimated. From the Tyne to the Thames, but
the captains of the hardy Httle ships: Predleting idleness will spread calculated at least a 48-hour passage still further, he added: "people do to-day. not yet realise the serious per sonal effect this will have Everyone.""
on
Seventeen coal trains were en route to London from the north, carrying approximately 6,500 tons. But even
The ship is said to be the "Ulua". which left La Perouse near Alciero on Sunday with six hundred Jewish refugers on board.-Reuter.
LATEST THREAT
Jerusalem, Feb. 12. The "Volte of Fighting Zion," Jewish terrorist radio, sald to-night that the British "would be punished" for causing the death of an illegal Jewish immigrant on the schooner Royal Navy on Sunday.-Reuter.
For the third successive day prices 70.000 tons of coal going to London La Negev, brought into Halfa by the un the London stock exchange sank, and Southeast will show little more lower.
Faced with amounting than a glow for the industrial fur- losses, Industrialists served statutory notice on idle employees of plans throughout England.
naces which have been blacked out to discontinue payment of guaranteed minimum wages this week.
The same news agency reports that This is going to affect rations, the Food Minister, Mr John Strachey, clothing. household appliances, to-day delayed his departure for the shoes-everything" said one Board of United States and Canada until nexi Trade official, adding, "most of the week to keep watch on Britain's food goods we are living on are stocks supplies during the fuel crisis. And since the
the war there has been To save travelling time, Mr practically nothing in the supply Strachey will go by alr. Originally pipe-line. Even if the crisis ended he was to have departed by ship to-morrow-and it definitely will not this week.
there will be increasing scarcity
food,"
The total collapse of Chinese currency during the past 48 hours,, cilmaxing an Insidious and brutal campaign, le a classic examplo. It la true that a powerful black market of currency speculators and manipulators has been dominating both Internal and external trade and commercial transactions for 10 months, but to claim that, this is the sole factor con tributing to China's present tribulation. Is merely to admit the impotency of the government to deal with the situation. More perturbing is thú apparent unwillingness to take sufficiently strong and effective action to protect the economic stability of the people. For this is the crux of the axlating orlain. Little sympathy will be wasted on that parasitical minority, the speculators and manipulators, if they are caught their own financial meshes. They deserve nothing better. It
Transport the helpless "ilttio man”, on a monthly salary, who has to put aất his economie trust in prin. elpalities and powers, who is the real aufforer. It is he who finds the averyday necessition of life placed "beyond his reach; who doesn't know from day to day whether the purchasing power of his pay envelope will be one-tenth, one-hundredth or one thousandth of its face value; who faces the prospects of unemployment, diapospersion and the dozen other affects of national economie chaca,
DECISION ON ARMAMENTS
while the lost output is being made Replying to a question in the House of Commons today, Dr Edith The situation was almost as batary to the Ministry of Food, sald she
Summerskill. Parliamentary Secre In Northern Ireland where many train services were cancelled, coal was "satisfied" that Britons could supplies dwindled sill further, and maintain their 2,900 calorie level by work schedules for 100,000 linen sprinkling their daily diet liberally workers were reduced to three with unrationed foods. weeks in four. There were few bright spots In thic. dismal picture. Lenders of the and General Workers Union-largest labour union in the world urged ita members to make every effort to maintain's continuous flow of coal supplies Associated Press.
Lake Success, Feb. 13. In a
further despatch, United Press states that 38 collfers, carrying
The United Nations Security 70.000 tons of coal to power-starved Council voted 9 to 0 to-day to London and Southeast England, all create a commission to study ed from Northeastern coal ports into the teeth of a howling blizzard,
the reduction of all armaments route to London,
except those already being British and Follsh troops and Ger- Atomic Energy Commission,-
Throughout Britain, thousands of oxamined by the United Nations
clear snow-clogged highways. Army Associated Press.
Neither does the remedy, at least in China, appear to rosida in any accepted economia formula. It doesn't seem to matter twopence whether gold, is restricted; whether it is made freely available; whether it is na tionalised. One of China's sorrows to-day le that any action f almost certain to have the same result-inatablilty, chacs, criats. China's crying need is an administrative system that has for its foundations honesty, alfasuness, the strength of purpose, and the will to Implement the man prisoners of war? worked tenet that the welfare of the community comes before the individual,
fa
to
STOP PRESS
RICE RIOT IN SHANGHAI
Shanghai, Feb. 13.
A crowd of Chinese ralded a rier shop.in Shanghai this morning, and over the protests of the employees, seized most of the stocks. This is the first of the so-called "rice riots" which shopkeepers feared as a result of high prices and scarcity of com- modities Associated Press.
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Dover Losing Army And
Navy To Cost More
Dover, Feb. 12.
It is estimated that a quarter of a million tons of the White Cliffs of Dover have tumbled into the sea near the Kent benuty spot of St Margaret's Bay, between Deal and Dover.
Last night a landslide of the familiar chalk cliff, about 150 yards long, 30 fect, deep and 200 feet high, occurred,
St Margarel's Bay, a small cove at the bottom of the cliff and reached by a mile-long winding hill was heavily shelled by German cross-channel guns during the war and later its shell- torn houses and beaches were used as a Commando training ground.
The war shakeup and Arctic weather are believed to be responsible for the landslide but falls are fairly frequent, however, around the whole chalk cliff belt of England. Reuter.
QUESTION ON
HK AIRFIELD
"Difficult Problems"
London, Feb, 12.
New Estimates
London, Feb. 12.
The British Government ro vised upward by £70,000,000 on Wednesday the estimated cost of maintaining its far-flung army and navy during the year ending March 31, 1947, a period marked by International ten- sion.
Supplementary estimates pub- lished as White Papers placed the combined total cost at £1,007,075,000.
The army's estimate was increased by £00,000,000 to £732,000,000. The navy'z was Increased £20,000,000 to £275,075,000.
by
The army's White Paper sald that an estimated 65,000 men were re- quired for service in addition to the number previously estimated. formed sources, said that Britain had an army of 850,000 men at the close of 1940. The Royal Air Force
a separate entity and none of tho figures announced apply to it.
The paper officially attributed only £17,000,000 of the additionally estimated expenditure to the fact that Britain was unable to carry out the "tasks overseas as rapidly as had been hoped."
WAR GRATUITIES Original estimates, the paper said, were made before the Government decided to pay, out £37,000,000 In war gratuities and postwar credits
the
current
fiscal year.
new rates of
A question was asked in the House of Commons to-day concerning the | during construction of on airfield In Hond- | First estimates also did not take into kong
account £14,000,000 needed for the Polish resettlement corps, unit catablished several months, to
Bgo prepare expatriate Pollsh soldiers for British civilian life. In addi- tion, £4,775,000 was attributed to botuity pay- ments fo re-enlistment and reassess- ment of retired pay and pensions."
The White paper, also reported a decrease in the receipts from the sale of stores to dominion and Allied Governments, which are now. pected to amount to £32,000,000, as against the original estimate DE
£02,000,000.
Colonel Rees Williams (Lab) usk- ed the Secretary of State f the Colonics what progress was being made with the construction of an airfield at Hongkong capable of being used by large airliners.
MrCreech Jones replied: "This malter is still under consideration. The decision involves dimcult technical and financial problems.
Col. Itees Willams, who recently vialled Malaya, also suggested that in view the need of fresh Ash to supplement the rice ration in Malaya and that Malay shermen were short of fishing equipment, the Colonial Secretary should give them Onancial dsalatance necessary to make good this deficiency.
The Colonial Secretary, Mr Creech Jones, replied: "Every effort is being made to supply-fishermen in Molnya with the necessary equipment to e- able them to increase their catches and a special missioner for South- cast Asia is paying particular atten- tion to this matter."
Mr D. N. T. Pritt, Independent Labour Member, osited what
re commendations the committee op pointed by the Governor of the Malayan Union to consider applica- tion to Malaya of the principles in his department's memorandum organisation of the Colonial Service, has made for bridging the gap be- tween the salary rates of European and Asiatic officers.
on
Mr Creech Jones replied: "I am informed that the Governor has not yet received any recommendation on the subject,"
A.
$2.20 per tin
|
Λ
CX-
speed up in the repatriation of German prisoners of war, depriving the army of their earnings and ser- vices, cust an additional £10,000,000, the document said.
The navy White Paper said that £0,700,000 more was needed for ser- vice pay, £8,800,000 for civil perton- ned wages at dockyards and shore establishments and £10,300,000 for war gratultics and postwar credits to personnel,
Both the army and navy said that their expenditures in some folds would not reach the total originally estimated-Associated Press.
Canton Ammunition Dump Blows Up
Canton, Feb. 13. An ammunition dump at Fong Cheun, Canton blew up this morning. It is reported that several people were injured. Further detalls are nwaited-Associated Press.
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