bet
1901
10
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Enrolled
6.
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:
15.
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Tout voilag at. J
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body of his fellow-countryman who were sworn in as
special constables and did valuable work in that capacity
as also did a mæber of members of the Scandinavian com-
munity.
The organisers of the strike no doubt thought that the calling out of the domestic servants would make life unendurable to Europeans. They must have
been disagreeably surprised: ladies undertook cooking and
housework in their own or each others homes: in the hotels
the work was divided mong the guests: the distribution of coal, food-stuffs was carried out by voluntary workers,
organised by the Strike Committee referred to in paragraph
18 of Mr. Fletcher's report; men from the Army and Navy,
assisted by voluntary workers, took the place of the striking bakers and butchers and worked the Peak Treus), the cold storage plant and other public services.
In short the non-Chinese population rose
to the occasion in a manner which is deserving of the
highest praise.
7.
A lamentable contrast was afforded by the Chinese population. The educated classes, who cannot be considered to have been influenced by sympathy with the
I had confi- strikers, were of no assistance whatever. dently expected that the leading members of the community,
the the kimbers of Council, the Justices of the Peace, Kembers of the District watch.en's Comittee, ke. would have done good service by calming the fears of the ignorant populace and obtaining for the Government informa. tion which would enable it to deal with intimidation. In
The only neither respect were they of the slightest use. possible explanation is sheer cowardice. For the ignorant coolie class who were frightened inte leaving their work it is possible to feel some sympathy and pity: as regards the upper classes the only possible feeling is one of the i
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