C 18
From the 1st to 10th July, the following joined the strike, wholly or in large part:-
Luen Tak Guild, Night-soil Coolies,
Tea Box Makers Guild,
Motor-boat Crews,
M. Y. Sun Employees,
(Biscuit Factory),
Tea and Eating-House Workers,
Washermen,
Hand-bag Makers Union, Telephone Employees, Ice Factory,
Sanitary Board Coolies,
Naval Yard Launch Crews,
Furniture Makers Guild,
Silversmiths,
Bonham Strand Cargo Coolies, Postmen & Clerks in G.P.O.
Kowloon Godowns,
Sandalwood Union,
mechanics
Chinese mechanics
Stone Masons,
of the
Naval Yard,
Taikoo Docks, Hunghom Docks
and Bailey's Shipyard
Chinese Wine & Spirit Union, Government Civil Hospital Coolies,
Fire-wood Union,
Painters & Blacksmiths,
Coppersmiths,
Rattan Workers.
On the 11th practically all seamen employed on Canton River Boats went on strike. Crowds continued to leave the Colony by train for a few days after the river boats ceased to run, but the difficulties experienced in picking up connections on the Chinese Section discouraged this means of transportation.
From the outset little difficulty was experienced in obtaining coolie labour. Men were engaged through the Police Department at $1.50 a day and 2 meals. This high wage was probably responsible in part for the strike of scavenging coolies, who at the time were being paid $12 a month and quarters. But the ready response to this call and the steady stream of Chinese candidates of all grades to the office of the Assistant Controller of Labour (Dr. S. W. Tso) in the City Hall did much to steady the public mind. Even more effective in this direction was the organisation called the Labour Protection Bureau which was devised by a Chinese military officer of great experience with a view to protect the willing labourer from the assassin and his even more cowardly assistant, the intimidator. The organisation was from the first a great success. The intimidator, finding the tables turned on him, dropped his calling hastily and from that time onwards there was a steady increase in the supply of labour until within a few months' time the strike as such had ceased to exist for Hongkong.
At the same time the Emergency Regulations authorising the deportation of any person having no proper employment, by forcing upon the labouring classes a choice between earning a living in the Colony and testing out the roseate promises of Canton, at once helped to clear our territory of the ruffians and provided the timid with an excuse of force majeure for returning to work.
C 18
From the 1st to 10th July, the following joined the strike, wholly or in large part:-
Luen Tak Guild, Night-soil Coolies,
Tea Box Makers Guild,
Motor-boat Crews,
M. Y. Sun Employees,
(Biscuit Factory),
Tea and Eating-House
Workers,
Washermen,
Hand-bag Makers Union, Telephone Employees, Ice Factory,
Sanitary Board Coolies,
Naval Yard Launch Crews,
Furniture Makers Guild,
Silversmiths,
Bonham Strand Cargo Coolies, Postmen & Clerks in G.P.O.
Kowloon Godowns,
Sandalwood Union,
mechanics
Chinese mechanics
Stone Masons,
of the
Naval Yard,
Taikoo
Docks, Hunghom Docks
and Bailey's Shipyard
Chinese Wine & Spirit Union, Government Civil Hospital
Coolies,
Fire-wood Union,
Painters & Blacksmiths,
Coppersmiths,
Rattan Workers.
On the 11th practically all seamen employed on Canton River Boats went on strike. Crowds continued to leave the Colony by train for a few days after the river boats ceased to run, but the difficulties experienced in picking up connections on the Chinese Section discouraged this means of transportation.
From the outset little difficulty was experienced in obtain- ing coolie labour. Men were engaged through the Police Depart- ment at $1.50 a day and 2 meals. This high wage was probably responsible in part for the strike of scavenging coolies, who at the time were being paid $12 a month and quarters. But the ready response to this call and the steady stream of Chinese candidates of all grades to the office of the Assistant Controller of Labour (Dr. S. W. Tso) in the City Hall did much to steady the public mind. Even more effective in this direction was the organisation called the Labour Protection Bureau which was devised by a Chinese military officer of great experience with a view to protect the willing labourer from the assassin and his even more cowardly assistant, the intimidator. The organisation was from the first a great success. The intimidator, finding the tables turned on him, dropped his calling hastily and from that time onwards there was a steady increase in the supply of labour until within a few months' time the strike as such had ceased to exist for Hongkong.
At the same time the Emergency Regulations authorising the deportation of any person having no proper employment, by forcing upon the labouring classes a choice between earning a living in the Colony and testing out the roseate promises of Canton, at once helped to clear our territory of the ruffians and provided the timid with an excuse of force majeure for returning to work.
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