1937-10-18 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL OCTOBER 18

JUNK INQUIRY OPENED Japanese Consulate Refuses To Attend Proceedings

EXPERT EVIDENCE LIKELY

TO BE IMPORTANT

SUBMARINE IDENTITY

QUESTIONS

to call the witn FIRST WIENESS.

brother's

Es La Shi

BOAT OWNERSHIP The fishing fleet was kemi-

around Cheelung Lighthouse. arting from the right, the first pai weres and Shek

The first witness called was Lam Chi, the owner of junk No. 36, who pair by Lam said that he left Shaukiwan in the Yung-hui,

his brother, company of eleven other junks on

Tam Fuk-tai

second,

and Lam Fitness and the fourth ing. Yat-ki, -sking, and

Kit and Lee

An indication that expert evidence regarding September 17 and on the 21st they by Chan Kau wounds, the weather and warship recognition arrived at Cheelung Lighthouse, the fifth by Fu may play an important part in the inquiry into the arc-light formation round the The submarine first fired at the

where they fished in pairs, in an

the sixth by Ng- Meri

At 8 am on September 22, wit- Shek Kai-cheung's junk sinking the

alleged sinking of fishing junks by a Japanese sub-lighthouse. marine near Hong Kong, was given at the opening mess saw a submarine appear from vessel, after several shots. It pro- of the inquiry at the Supreme Court this morning. the right side of the lighthouse and ceeded to attack other craft in turn.

It was announced that the Japanese Consulate, open fire on the two pairs of junks nearest it. They were hit several invited to attend the proceedings, had replied stat-times and sunk ing that, on instructions, the Consul would not be present and the Japanese Government would not be represented.

FOKI KILLED

Witness's brother's junk was struck twice by shells and sank be- fore the submarine attacked wit- Fress's boat.

The submarine then fired, at the junks owned by Fung Kam-shing, sinking both.

Fire was then directed at his junk. His brother, in No. 1 hold was wounded and a foki, Kwok Tar fu was killed. The junk was sunk

MAINSAIL RAFT

The submarine was only

Witness said that after his junk The Portuguese Consul-was in circumstances in which these ves-

were sunk. Altogether ten hundred yards away when it opened was hit, he used the mainsail as a court taking notes of the pro- sels

fishing junks eeedings.

were sunk and alfire. He plainly saw the men on its raft and together with 27 other members of the junk clung to it till Sir Atholl McGregor is chair-though many lives were lost, there deck working the guns.

Asked by Sir Atholl MacGregor the following morning when they man of the Commission, the other was, fortunately, a considerable members being the Hon. Com-number of survivors and of these, how he knew the submarine to be were picked up by a junk from Mirs mander J. B. Newill (Harbour fourteen are at present in this Japanese, witness said he had seen Bay and brought in to Shaukiwan Master), Mr. J. A. Fraser and Colony and will be called to give Japanese sailors in Hong Kong and Mr. J. C. McDouall (Secretary). evidence.

On board witness's boat there those on the submarine were similar were between 13 to 14 women and Jabout 10 children All were saved ly dressed... COUNSEL'S STATEMENT

KAYING EVIDENCE

He recognised them by their out- with the exception of Kwok who In an opining statement, Mr. John

Their evidence will be supple- Whyatt, Assistant Attorney General, mented to some extent by an offer clothing. He was not close en- had been killed. maid: I have been asked to appear cer from the British steamship ough to see faces clearly, but their On arrival here, witness imme-

was diately reported to the police. before the Commission during this Kaying which picked up some of general physical appear

Witness made inquiries at Other survivors similar to Japanese. enquiry for the purpose of assisting the survivors.

TWO GUNS

Mirs Bay and elsewhere regard- you, as far as I am able, in the were picked by the German liner,

He saw about ten sailors operating Lam Shl-po, but could gather task which has been entrusted to Scharnhorst, but as she has al-

no information. None of his you under your terms of reference [ready sailed for Europe and willing two guns, one on the bows and

crew could be traced. There Ad-not call at the port of Hong Kong one on the stern. by His Excellency, the Officer

The submarine was on the sur- were on board his junk about 27 children ministering the Government of the again until she returns to the Far

persons, including -Colony of Hong Kong. It will be East in two months' time, I regret face, the hull showing plainly. It

a silver-greyish colour. and four women. "necessary in order that the true facts to say it will not be possible to seemed to

Only two pairs of junks escaped While witness and his people relating to the sinking of these fish-call witnesses from the Scharn-

(Continued on Page 16) ing junks may be established that horst at this inquiry to tell you the attack. you should have before you witnesses what they know concerning this who can give sworn evidence of the matter.

In addition to the evidence of material circumstances and the ob ject of my presence at this inquiry eye-witnesses, I shall call medical is to call before the Commission all evidence from the Queen Mary the witnesses who are available Hospital and the Kwong Wah Hos whose evidence can be of assistance pital The witnesses from these to the Commission in arriving at hospitals will be doctors who at its conclusion. I desire to say that tended to those survivors who r in calling this evidence I shall ob-quired medical attention when serve strictly the ordinary rules of they arrived in Hong Kong and they evidence and in no circumstances will describe to you what they will any evidence be tendered or found when they examined these any questions be asked which would men after their admission to hos-

pital not be admissible in proceedings conducted in accordance with the practice which prevails in a British Court of Justice.

اور

ORAL TESTIMONY

· METAL AND BULLETS These witnesses, in addition to giving oral evidence, will produce as exhibits a splinter of metal and I do not propose before calling a copper bullet which have been. the-witnesses to make any comments removed from the bodies of two of and also an X-ray or to outline in detail the evidence the survivors which they will give because I think photograph which was taken be ¡fore an operation was performed It is desirable in an inquiry of this kind that the material to be placed on one of these men.

I shall also call evidence from before the Commission for its con-

Hong the Royal Observatory sideration should be limited strictly Kong as to the v to the oral testimony of the witnesses that prevailed on themselves.. It will be sufficient, 1dates in the vici think for your purposes,

where the junks were indicate to you as briefly as pos

And lastly I shal sible the various classes of witnesses

officer who will giv who will be called and the nature

an expert on t distinguishing of the evidence they will give con-

arks...... which are cerning the matters relevent to this

carried by a stain naval cra

which inquiry. --

lace

unk all a naval

nk perhang I have now safd

In the first place I shall call be- fore you a numbe of eye-witnesses anfficient in this brief summary to on board the fish-indicate to you the nature of the we are concerned evidence I intend to put before you vill describe to you the and with your leave I will now

ing junks

with

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