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Detective Office,
Water Police Station.
TAM PING, 51 years,
Steersman employed on board Cargo Boat No.2233V. Residing on board, born at Hong Kong,
States:-
I have been employed on board the above boat for two years. My master WONG YUEN lives on the sea front at Hong Kong but I do not know the number of the house.
I receive $7.00 salary per month. My boat has been engaged by the HANG FAT Company for the past 19 days during which time we have made three trips to NAM TAU carrying groceries etc. as cargo. On each trip my boat has been towed by the Steam Launch KWAI HING to NAM TAU. On the return journeys we carry oranges and vegetables to Hong Kong. The loading and disposing of cargo at NAM TAU is attended to by the two agents from the HANG FAT Company, one of them is named CHAN CHOI, I do not know the name of the other one. They have been with me on the three trips I have made.
On the 22.1.40. about 08.00 hours my boat was being towed by the Steam Launch KWAI HING (another junk was also being towed with mine) we were at this time off CHEK WAN when I saw a Japanese motor boat. Three shots were fired at us from this Japanese motor boat and we were called upon to stop. Our two junks then went alongside the motor boat. Five or six Japanese sailors then boarded my boat, one of the HANG FAT Agents spoke to them in a dialect I did not understand. My fokis were then called upon to transfer some dried ducks from one of three small boats which were tied up astern of the Japanese motor boat, some firewood and vegetables, were also put on board our two boats. This done the two Agents then called the Steam Launch KWAI HING to carry onto Hong Kong.
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