CO129-416 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 561

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at the search and all foreigners engaged

mode

in the search must be axe to remove their

footgear before entering the Gurdwara it-

self. This may seem trivial, but is impor-

tant. Tobacco in any form or the smoking of

tobacco must not be allowed in the Gurd-

wara under any circumstances. -f these

two simple rules are kept, the Sikhs cannot

complain of sacrilege.

On no account should Ishar Singh be per-

mitted to act as intermediary in providing

watchmen for foreign and native firms. From the Consul General's account, Isshar

Singh is a person who should be removed from

Hankow at the earliest opportunity. At

the same time consideration must always be

given to the possibility that Lahomed Azim

has a grievancgainst Isshar Singh and makes

this complaint with a view to getting Isshar

Singh into trouble. This is a time-

honoured stratagem in which natives of India

are not alone. It is, of course, impos-

sible for me to say whether the information

laid by Mahomed Azim is correct or otherwise

but if there is reasonable ground for suspicion

that any native of India is engaged in the

circulation of such literature, my advice is

that the letter of the law be stretched to its

uttermost to bring it home to those impli-

cated. This is the only way in which the

Sikh Community in Hankow or in any other port

of China, will be kept in order.

The