REC:
REGP18 NC.
411
The Daily Press.
HONGKONA, October 2nd, 1434.
The boatpeople's strike was continued yes- terday, and at the only licensed cargo boats at work in the harbour were a few which had been chartered at East Point. The remain- der still kept over at the other side, and sampans were also conspicuous by their absence, with the exception of a few which had returned to work. Nearly all business afloat was suspended, and the barbour presented the same nusually quiet appearance as on the previous afternoon. It is said the boats will return to work as soon as the French mail has left for Europe. The situation was considered at a meeting of the Executive Council yesterday afternoon."
During Tuesday night a Chinese notice was posted on the side of the door of Mr. Vincenot's | store at the corner of Pottinger-street, on the Praya. The notice intimated that within a month Mr. Vincenot's premises would be blown up with gunpowder, and his Chinese employés were warned to leave. The act probably had connection with a prosecution Mr. Vincenot re-. cently instituted against some cargo host people for rofusing to carry cattle for him on heard a French man-of-war. The notice is not likely to deprive Mr. Vincenot of his Ching assistants, or intimi- date him, but it is not a pleasant sort of threat, and it is unfortunate that the author of this literary production and the enterprising individual who affixed it to the door are not in the hands of the officers of the law. The notice was of course promptly torn down,
it
The Daily
Press.
HONGKONG, OCTOBER 3RD, 1 34.
THE strike of the cargo boatpeople still con- tinues, and so far no effective means appear to have been devised to induce them to return, The only concession taat the Government can make is that of overlooking the strike and not cancelling the licences of the conta. macious; what the boatpeople expect or de- mand is, we presume, that they shall have liberty to refuse to work for the French, without liability to any penalty. Of course this demand cannot be conceded, and equally is it of course the boatpeople must return to their avocation so soon as their means are ex- hausted, unless indeed the Chinese Autho- rities support them. Meintime the strike is entailing most serious loss in domu rrage and causing general inconvenience, and the ques tion arises, what steps can be taken to bring these foolish people to their senses. This query cannot be easily auswered, but perhaps something might be done by importing cargo boats and boatmen from Singapore, Saigon, or other porta. The strikers could not be replaced in a day, but if they found their craft was in danger they would be more disposed to submit, and turn a deaf ear to Cantonese threats. In any case something
Equivicly, for it ia in- tolerable that the trade of the port should be thus suddenly suspended through the instru mentality of outside threats or the conspiracy of a clique inside the Colony. The circum- stance should also prove a lesson to the Co- lony not to, in the future, become dependent upon a body of people who may at any mo. ment combine to dictate impossible terms on pain of suspending all business. One result that may be expected is the formation of a lighter or cargo-boat company by mercantile firms in the colony.
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