1933-08-03 — Page 7

LIFE OF THE POORER THE POORER

CLASSES IN H. K.

I. THE RICKSHAW, CHAIR, AND

CARGO COOLIES

HAND-TO-MOUTH EXISTANCE, WITHOUT PROSPECTS ÖR RESERVES

SPECIAL TO THE "DAILY PRESS."

In the following article many aspects of the problem of poverty in Hong Kong are discussed and some of the revela- tions made will surely be an eye-opener to those who are not in personal contact with the poorer side of Hong Kong's life.

d

The proportion of the extremely poor in the community » in Hong Kong is very high and the hard life they lead and the conditions under which they live cannot be truly por

"Conditions must be seen to be trayed by any writer.

understood. :

It is intended to deal, first of all, with the various classes of poor people in the Colony and then with the question of what is being done to alleviate their condition.

RICKSHAW COOLIES

The next time you ride a rick shaw, take a "good look at the quolie who is pulling you. As bis body bobs up and down between

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1933

KIANGSI AND THE

REDS

Half-Hearted Govt. Troops

SIDE-LIGHTS ON THE KULING CONFERENCE

CLAIM AGAINST LOCAL AIR MAIL

DRY-CLEANERS

TO EUROPE

JUDGMENT FÜR MR. W. G.

FISCHER

Judgment was given by Mr. Jus

The

Representative Of LAST THREE DAYS

Dutch Air Line Here

ARRANGEMENTS

tice Lindsell for Mr. W. G. Fischer PRAISES COLONY'S POSTAL in the case in which he claimed damages from the International Dyeing and Dry Cleaning Com pany in respect of clothing which. (From Our Special Correspondent) the latter company is alleged to have washed with soap and water instead of dry-cleaning.

KIUKIANG, July 25. The Weather has been moss favourable to the rice, and bumper crops are reported from every place. That is in the big Rivers

Mr. Justice Lindeell found that the evidence had established the plaintiff's case and gave judgment for the amount of depreciation which the clothing had suffered.

An interesting interview was granted to our representative" by Mr. M. C. Moes, visiting inspec tor of the Royal Dutch Air Lines, who arrived in Hong Kong Mr. Moes intends yesterday.

y

districts and in the Districts con- The piece of evidence on which to visit the agents of the Dutch trolled by Government troops; but the case was decided was the oh-Line in the leading cities of the unfortunately rice was not plant-literation of the mark on the tai- Far East... ed in some country districts where lor's tabs in the pockets of the coats the Government troops contented which, according to expert wit themselves with staying at their nesses could not have been caused headquarters and doing nothing to by dipping the cat in benzine or prevent communist incursions. gasoline.

As far as the anti-Red campaiga

is concerned, the only telegrams wa see in the papers come from the

Canton side. It soos that the MAGISTRATE AND

Nanking troops are very inactive in comparison. In fact it looks as been if a tacit compromise has made between the troops and the do anything Reds: "It is too hot now; stay where you ate and I will not attack you.”

· stand-

SOLICITOR

ASPERITIES IN TRADE MARK CASE

Mr. Moes will be in the Colony for a week during which time he will study local conditions. He us sured our representative that for the present at least the K.L.M. (Royal Dutch Air Line) do not propose to extend their air service either from Singapore or Java to

Hongkong. Our Company has uu

Immediate plans of extending our service to this part of the world," he said. "We are specializing p the Amsterdam-Batavia line and are not thinking of extending our line to Hongkong or of operating in China."

Wanted to Try New Line. In answer to another question There was a "breeze" in Mr.

Mr. Moes said he had heard about Wynne-Jones's Court yesterday The Pan-American Line taking during resumed over the interests of China Na afternoon

the

the shafts of his rickshaw note the they can move big cases from ship full swing at Kuling we can only hearing "of the case in which the tronal Airways In one respect hat

the

Star Battery Factory was summon ed for an alleged infringement of the trade mark of the Merry Bat. tery Factory.

was rather disappointed, as he bad been hoping to travel to Shanghai From Hongkong by air, and he was sorry to find that the line was not working yet.

Asked why the K.L.M. di noi contemplate extanding their line to Hongkong, Mr. Moe said the Dulch Company bad, to stick to their main object which was the linking up of Holland with ser Colonies in the Far East. Company had other lines in Europe and for the moment it was not thought wise to havo lines all over the world.

The

The Kuling Conference. Recruiting is also at a greatest is the cargo coolie. Every where along the water front you still. The transfer of troops seeing who come from Hankow amount will see these hard working people to be finished, and the few recruits on the lookout for work. They are

With practically to nothing. And as dexterous and very reliable. a bamboo pole and a few ropes the Military conference is now in wait the conclusion to know what to godown in perfect safety

Contradic clothing he is wearing. Of coarse

Carga coolies also lead a very has been the matter. material is his coat, very much

precarious existence. Competition tory reports are made on that can weather worn and patched all over

is very keen and each man stations ference. Yesterday Wang Ching

Mr. Leo D'Almada anr., was the place. You wonder why every himself at certain places. For in-Wei would not come to Kuling, rickshaw coolie wears so dilapistance, attached to each whart for today Mrs. Wang bas laft Shang examining his client (the defend dated a jacket and perhaps you will also wonder why they do not river steamers along Connaught hai for Nanking 80 Mr. Rant) when his Worship remarked Road West are a certain number Ching Wei will come to Kuling that he (Mr. D'Almada) must not make any effort to keep their of coolies and this band will work Yesterday they would not discuss ask "leading questions like that."

The

Mr. D'Almada: If your Worship clothing in a better state.

on all the ships that tie up at that the question of the Reds. To-day truth is simple. As their daily

thinks I do not know the art of particular wharf. There is very somebody has put it pa task is of so arduous & nature, the

little" poaching" of work and it agenda.!!!

That man has realized that there conducting my own case, I'd rather

retire ! first essential is to preserve their

is this that enables them to de

Mr. Wynne-Jones: I'm sure you health. The average earning of a

mand a living wage for what they is a Red question. Believe me, Sir "rickshaw coolie is about 40 cents

do. If it were not for the fact there is a Red question, and when do." day. With this princely sum he

that cut-throat"

Continuing, Mr. D'Almada asked are you are apt to forget it the Reds

Mr. Moes told our representative has to pay for his food, rent, cloth-

taboo, cargo cookies would be given are there to make you remember. ing and medicine. Of these four

very little. As it is, employers At the beginning of July a deci. the defendant if the receipts which items, needless to say food is the

have to pay the price that is asked sion was taken to shorten the sup-he, Mr. D'Almada produced were that the Royal Dutch Air Line was not for the printing of "Flying greatly obliged to the Hongkong Rand Labels. Witness said that Postal authorities for the arrange biggest item and daily each coolie

or go without coolies, but it must ply of Reds! requires a minimum of two meals

be mentioned in fairness to the

they were and that the reason why ments they had made with regard costing ten cents each

The salt business is very active, he was sure of it was because to Air Mail from Hongkong. The olies that the price asked is never too high.

very much more than other lines. that was the first order they had mail steamers left every week from Here again the weather affects That certainly means that the buy given to that particular firm of Hongkong for Singapore taking their business

On a fine day ers are Reds; well, let us shorten printers. There was, however, no five days under normal conditions plenty of cargo is worked hetween the stocks of salt in the shops, so reference to the particular labels in and the Air Line from Singapore kdowns and ships and from shop the Reds can buy only a little

the receipt.

to Amsterdam and London occupied to shop. Also there is more move-You forget, my Dear Sir, that

saven days for the voyage, so that mails from Hongkong reached Lon- don within a fortnight, which was very good going, he thought." Business men in Hongkong, whom I have been able to see have ex- pressed satisfaction with this ar rangement" he added.

Rickshaw coolies live together in groups of twentys and thirtys. One group will occupy an ordinary Chinese flat and work in shifts. There will be bed spaces for half the number of people living in the house. When one half "the occu-" pants are out on the streets the when the others return to the house, those who have been resting will go out.

tactics

The Balt Business.

ik

Mr. Wynne-Jones: Why do you

bent on the water front and con: when the Reds want salt they sim-out these bills in front of me. Mr. other half occupies the beds, and sequently more chance of employ ply capture a big City and take D'Almada?

ment. Like the rickshaw and chair coolies, the water front workers are very poor far they are never "sure of a day's work. There are few among their number. who are re- gularly employed. When they are afflicted with sickness a very seri- ous problem arises.

Ten Hours & Day. An ordinary coolie works about ten hours a day, most of which, however, is spent sitting in the rickshaw waiting for custom! The daily takings amount to seventy or eighty cents, out of which the hire of the rickshaw has to be met. leaving about forty to fifty cents fng for his food the coolie has to for the coolie himself. After pay may rent and meet other incident als, which leaves him practically nothing.

A good waterfront coolie is a very clever person, besides being a picture of physical fitness. Many of them who have been long at the game know exactly what a shipping rent assistance to the people who order is and some of them are of employ them.

STREET COOLIES

are

all the salt in two hours. That Mr. D'Almada I am putting happened on the 8th of July to Fengcheng, a big market place and them before your Worship for what they are worth, but if you do not the residence of a magistrate on the Kan River. That certainly accept them, your Worship will was a big loss of face for all the make a note that you have rejected

them, that's all plan-makers!

Rumour has been more and more cortain district persistent that a will be burned to make a buffer area between the government lines (Kan River and Fuchow River) and where. Those plans are all wrong. the Reds. There is no possibility of any buffer as the Reds are every The only thing to do is to make the soldiers fight, and when they consent to fight they must fight with a stronger will than the Reds, That is all..

RADIOS AND A DACTOTIDI- DERMUS

When be is ill a couple of coppert

Street coolies-those who at a Chinese herbalist's will buy employed for little odd jobs from him a drink of medicinat tea, and time to time-lead a life that bas if this proves ineffective he will' have to see a Chinese "native" nothing to relieve its hardship. doctor which again will cost him! They hang about in street corners and at other likely places. Sevs a few ten-cent pieces as will the eral of them would own one ham- prescription of herbs and twigs.

boo pole between them and a few lengths of rope. Rain or shine, these coolies will be found at the. same. spot. They live in what is known as coolie-houses, run by a man who would provide a bed The forthcoming auction sale of space for the night for a considera-radios and radio gramophones which tion.

is being organised by Radio Ser- Naturally, the earnings of these vices, Ltd., should provide a good coolies are limited by the amount

opportunity for those people who

Again there is his licence to pay for at regular intervals and from time to time, he makes an appear: ance at the Police Courts for a breach of the traffic regulations. All these mean money and the rick- shaw coolie has to find it all out of the forty or fifty cents he earns. The chair coolies are not very much better off than the rickshaw pullers, but theirs is a much harder life. With the introduction of taxis, buses and motor care, the popularity of chairs has diminished greatly in the past few years and it will not be long before the last of the chair coolies will be seen. There is keen competition to-day nt the few chair, stands that still remain but ever, this business is gradually slipping away,

**Dirty Weather a Blessing The weather plays a large part in the takings of rickebaw and chair coolies. In fine weather patrons are very much fewer than in the rainy weather, so at least one section of the poor prays for "dirty" weather.

TO BE AUCTIONED BY MESSRS. LAMMERTS

Mr. Wynne-Jones: I wish you would not waste my time, Mr. D'Almada

Mr. D'Almada: And. I wish your Worship would not waste mine.

the receipts were in respect of Mr. D'Almada continued that the witness had definitely stated that Flying Hand" labels although it was not as stated in them.

Linking China and Java,

With regard to the possibility, of linking China and Java by air, Mr. Moes said that he saw no difficulty. Flying conditions were perfect

such a service, no doubt it will be and as soon as business in China livened up suficiently to justify The Chinese popula instituted. tion of Java were mostly from Continuing his examination-in. Bonth China and such an air ser chief, Mr. D'Almada asked witness ice would be greatly appreciated when he first knew the complain by them besides being of inestim ants' trade mark was registered. able value to China herself. At the Witness: When the police came moment there were no schemes to start this line but there is a dis- to seize the goods in our shop.

After Mr. Rendall had cross-tinet possibility of it in the future. examined the witness. briefly, the case was adjourned until Tuesday afternoon.

JAPANESE POLITICAL

MURDERS

THE MURDERER'S OBJECT.

not

of work going and by the competi- wish to dispose of their old radio tion that they meet with in the set and buy a more up-to-date district in which they operate. As model, and also to those who are rule they earn a few ten-cent looking for a radio, in working pieces each day. They are very order, for a small outlay. hard working but do not possess promoters of the auction are ineist the dexterity shown by the watering that the sets put up for sale front and cargo. coolies This is shall be in working order, and probably due to the fact that their arrangements have been made to waking up the plutocracy through employers are people who only demonstrate their capabilities at occasionally require the services of the time of sale.

WES "A

A question of competition be- tween the different air lines was raised by our representative, but Mr. Moes said that there spirit of frimdly co-operation be tween the different air lines. "Com petition," he said "an be very healthy, and can be very fair sod friendly."

Asked what he thought of our local aerodrome, Mr. Moes replied that he had not had time to see. Kai Tak, but he had heard about: it and proposed to visit it at an

early date. The Toyko Our aim was

necessarily directed at killing bim so much as at camsing retrospection on the part of the leaders and

our direct action, was the state ment of Guro Hishinums (22),

SCALLYWAG

OF A HANDBAG.

these coolies and they, therefore do The auction will take place at 5 when he was interrogated by Judge IN UNLAWFUL POSSESSION not make an effort to become "in-

p.m on Thursday, August. 31, and Sakamaki on a charge of assas telligent in their work.

will be conducted by Messrs. Lam-nating the late Baron Takums mert Bros. Apart from the wire Dan. The Gambling Habit, Those who have never studied less sets for sale there will be the The day's trial was chiefly direct- the question will wonder why these novel attraction of seeing a Dacto tididermis put up for auction. In coolies spend most of their time tendiniz visitors may be relieved to gambling with each other at street hear that this Dactotididerurus corners, The real reason is that during the day they spend most of (male) will be secure during the

cage..

we, are trying to get rid of re- ed to the inquiry of the process He is a type of scallyway whom through which how he became ac quinted with Nigtho Inoue, and What made him to participate in the Kettumeidan case,

marked Detective Sub-Inspector O'Donovan prosecuting on who came before Mr. Schofield- the Central Magistracy, yesterday, conditions of the starving farmers and the corrupt financers and unlawful possession of a ladies politicians, he admitted that at black leather handbag

Defendant was remanded twice first he was instructed to Rssassin before for the owner of the bag ate Count Myoji Ito and then the number of coolies are afflicted with late Juonosuke Inoue, and that in to be traced, and Sub-Inspector This class of people are forced the opium-smoking habit, and since both cases their strict guard frus-O'Donovan informed the Court to subsist on very little and con- they cannot afford the ordinary trated his aim before he finally that thanks to the publicity given

P Da lo, had come sidering the meagre food they est, opium, they take to smoking opina accomplished his task against the in the Press the claimant, they are a remarkably hardy type dross, Au opnu smoker among late Baron Dan.

She lost the bag whilö the in a tramcar to t as they can carry enormous loads the ranks of the coolie, has little that would prove heavy even for money left for food and other

Thestre, but never rep well-trained and properly develop necessities and it is not long before ed athlete. The writer has seen she crumple under the strain of his load of three hundred pound car very hard life. Few coolies live to ried by a coolie on one shoulder ripe old age, the reason being

obvious.

"(to be continued).

this business comes from Swatoy their time waiting for custom and proceedings: în a specially made After describing his view on the for the third time, on's charge of

Most of the coolies engaged in but few bring their families with the intervals of waiting, being long them, the reason being obvious. and weary, they can think of elsewhere in this issue.

Further particulars will be found Those with their families here carry 1 nothing better than to pass their on an existence the hardship of time by all forms of gaming within A street coolie in which can well be imagined, especi-theid, mcans. ally since it is considered a bounden often a very clever gambler duty of the Chinese of the old- fashioned type to have children to on the worship of their carry rincestors.

CARGO COOLIES Hong Kong being, one of the big gest shipping centres of the world, there are a large number of people employed, in the work of handling cargo that enters and leaves the port. Of this number, by far the

In spite of their, poverty quite a (Continued at foot of next column)

The French Minister to Siam, matter to the police. She,

R. Maugras, who was a guest ever, of the French Legation in Paking for the past fortnight, has left for France-vin Siberia

pany,

The defendant was, fine $50 one month's hard labour.

POWELL'S

SUMMER

SALE

are To-day,

Friday and Saturday.

There are Still many Bargains

jamai

in Gentlemen's Wear which you should not miss.

Wm. POWELL, Ltd.

The Gentlemen's House,

9, Queen's Road Central.

SALE

OF COLUMBIA RECORDS

(RECENTLY CUT-OUT FROM GENERAL CATALOGUE) $1.00 EACH.

(12 RECORDS FOR $10:00) REGAL RECORDS

50 CENTS EACH.

THE ANDERSON MUSIC CO., LTD.

Ice House Street,

LAST THREE

DAYS

Tel. 21822,

TANE CRAWFORD'S

Drastic Reduction

SALE.

Particularly

Good Bargains Now

Ladies and Kiddies

sixepts.

ANE, CRAWFORD, TTD.

.TD.

LANB, C