262
copies of extracts from a report submitted by the Captain Superintendent of Police concerning further activities of strike pickets on the frontier.
2. This recrudescence of activity on the part of the strike pickets gravely endangers the maintenance of peace on the frontier, and would appear to be a deliberate attempt to provoke an incident at a time when the Governments of Canton and Hong- kong are endeavouring to negotiate a settlement of the boycott.
3. I shall, therefore, be glad if you will be good enough to lodge a strong protest with the Canton Government, whigh for its own good name and in the interests of law and order should take steps to suppress these armed strike pickets who are in effect merely organized banditti.
263
Chun, Major Roberts of the Surreys, becoming anxious at the negotiating party's prolonged absence, wrote and addressed a note to Mr. A. E. Wood, at Sham Chun, which he gave to a coolie woman to deliver. This coolie woman, who belongs to Chinese Lowu, was arrested while on her way to Sham Chun and imprisoned.
I
On the 22nd inst., I sent a letter to the Strike Head-quarters explaining matters, asking that the woman be released. A reply was promptly sent me saying that the woman had been released, and stating the reason the woman was arrested was because the pickets suspected her of being in league with bad characters! saw the woman at Lowu a few hours after her release. She had I her $1-all been beaten, and showed several bad bruises. gave the money I happened to have on my person. Perhaps you may consider her deserving a little additional compensation?
I have, &c.,
C. CLEMENTI,
Governor, &c.
His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General,
Canton.
Hon. Captain Superintendent of Police.
*
Assistant Superintendent of Police.
W. G. GERRARD,
(New Territories.)
25th July, 1926.
137
Frontier Incidents.
*
*
A motor-boat, belonging to Ah King, at present being used in conveying police to and from salvage operations on No. 10 Motor-boat, left Lowu at about 18.15 hours yesterday (24th July, 1926), for Lok Ma Chau. Besides the crew of the motor-boat there were on board four Indian constables, five Water Police seamen and a Chinese detective. At about 18.40 hours, when the motor-boat was opposite Chik Mei Village, where there is a small temple on the river bank, a shot was fired from Chinese territory. Those on board observed a man in blue uniform kneeling and taking deliberate aim at the motor-boat. He fired three or four rounds, none of which took effect, the bullets The passing overhead. The man wore a red band on his arm. Indian police, who were armed with rifles, did not return the fire.
This, and the firing upon the crew of No. 10 Police Motor- boat on the 20th inst., are the first instances of such conduct on For a the part of strike pickets since the 3rd December last. long period subsequent to that date the pickets were unarmed, but the majority now carry rifles.
On the 21st July, 1926, while negotiations for the release of the crew of No. 10 Police Motor-boat were in progress at Sham
SIR,
ENCLOSURE 6 IN NO. 31.
H.B.M. Consulate-General, Canton, 11th August, 1926,
In my letter of 28th July I had the honour to communicate to you the facts of the Sham Chun frontier incident of 20th July. when two European Police Sergeants, one Indian policeman and four Chinese members of the crew of a police motor-boat were seized and detained by strike pickets.
I have now received a further report from the Government of Hongkong concerning recent activities of strike pickets on the frontier.
It appears that on 21st July, while negotiations for the release of the crew of the motor-boat were in progress at Sham Chun, a British officer on the Hongkong side of the frontier sent a note to Mr. Wood who was then at Sham Chun. The note was en- trusted to a coolie woman, a native of Lowu for delivery; and sie, while on her way to Sham Chun, was arrested and im- prisoned. On the following day the Strike Head-quarters, in reply to representations for her release, stated that the woman had already been set at liberty, and that the reason for her arrest was that the pickets suspected her of being in league with bad characters. She had been beaten and was badly bruised.
The
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