Times. Friday 10th July
DRASTIC MEASURES AT HONG-KONG.
DECLARATION BY THE
GOVERNOR.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT,)
HONG-KONG, JULY 9.
At a meeting of the Legislative Council to-day Sir Reginald Stubbs, the Governor, made an excellent fighting speech. He thoroughly reassured the loyal population, promising more drastic measures for dealing with the situation if necessary, even the deportation of every unemployed adult. He announced: that arrangements had been almost completed for making the capture of those engaged in intimidation certain. These would in future be flogged, while those already in gaol would be employed in scavenging work in the city, a course which would possibly make them regret the results of their activities.
The Governor heartily thanked the hundreds of lovel Chinese who were volunteering for the essential services, and he em phasized the fact that the present was bot a true strike, or even a movement arising out of genuine sympathy with!
the supposed wrongs of the strikers, but a deliberate attempt, in the interests of anarchy, to destroy the prospects and the very existence of the Hong-kong com- munity.
The Governor stated that the reports of crimes comunitted by intimidator) were much exaggerated. The bodies found in the streets included many dead from natural causes, which in the usual! Chinese way were dumped in order to save funeral expenses.
To-night two sticks of dynamite were thrown at the shop of a compradore who supplies the Canadian Pacific Company. He had received several notices threston- ing him with violence. The shop front was damaged, but no one was injured. There were no arrests.
The police continue actively their search for Bolshevist agents and in- timidators, pedestrians and motor-cars being frequently stopped and examined: The Indian constable who was shot yesterday is seriously wounded. He had attempted to arrest some timber thieves who fired at him.
Apparently in retaliation for the de. portation from Hong-kong of suspected loiterers numbering about a hundred, the Seamen's Union at Canton have now ordered the crews of the Chinese river steamers to leave their vessels, which means the complete cutting off of Hong-kong from Canton.
Eighty coastal and river vessels are now laid up, but lascar orews are en route to man some of them. A few ocean- going vessels continue to call at Hong- kong. The Empress of Canada, which had been deserted by its Chinese crew, expects to sail to-morrow with a crew of White Russiens and volunteers, the clerks, both male and female, being students and missionaries, whose applica tions exceeded the demand.
News from Canton is very scanty. The 75 civilians who remain et Shameon with the Indian troops and naval details are chaling at their inactivity, though they are subjected to frequent false alarma. It is difficult to sift the truth from the Canton reports, which, owing to the isolation of Shameen, are mostly from Chinese sources. but the rift in the Kuomintang party appears definite. It is now stated that it was not Wu Han-min who was wounded by the Yunnanese officer, but a subordinate official. A Russian ship is reported to have brought to Canton a large consign- ment of rifles, and Russian military instructors are drilling the new battalions of the Canton Red Army, which is being recruited from the ranks of the strikers, These reports are not regarded seriously, for signs are not wanting that Canton and other ports are facing a food scarcity, Canton seriously lacks coal and oil, but the authorities there are actively arrang. ing for direct shipments. Hong-kong could effectively blockade Canton and force a quick decision, but no suggestion of such action has hitherto been made.
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