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193
But in recent months the mud-skis have been used by illegal immigrants, first to help them float across the bay and then to negotiate the mud flats and swamps of the Mai Po marshes.
Yesterday Sgt-Major Wilson demonstrated how they were used. "They can move faster over the mud than a man can run over firm ground," said Sergeant Major Chris Wilson yesterday.
"If it's thick mud the illegals stand on the skis and push with their feet and they can shoot across mud and water at a tremendous speed," he said.
"If they cross thin mud or water they lay down and put out one leg and make a swimming motion and they can travel very fast.”
The Army Air Corps has adapted one of its Scout helicopters to play a very special role in rescuing refugees from the deep mud and treacherous swamps in the marshes.
The small helicopters are now equipped with nets and the crews hover over the swamps and drop out the nets to pluck illegal immigrants trapped in the mud to safety.”
Reprinted, in part only, from the South China Morning Post, 18 June, 1979
This item was brought to my notice by our printer and Honorary Life Member Mr. Y. F. Lam (Hon. Ed.)
THE SAINTLY GUO (Sheng Gong)
Professor G. E. Guldin doubtless will be delighted to learn that the cult of Sheng Gong is alive and well and thriving in SE Asia. In his interesting article on Little Fujian in the 1977 Journal (JHKBRAS17(1977); 112-129) he surmised that Hong Kong may have the only Sheng Gong temple left functioning in the world. He will be surprised to hear that although there is only the one temple dedicated to Sheng Gong in Hong Kong, there were at least twelve in Singapore, six in Malaysia (1970) and twenty-seven in Taiwan (1969), all dedicated to this deity. This, of course, does not include the hundreds of images of the Saintly Guo seen in secondary positions in temples throughout SE Asia and Taiwan. More than half of the temples dedicated to Sheng Gong in Taiwan (16 out of 27) are within a thirty-mile radius which includes Tainan, and Kaohsiung South-West Taiwan. Only four are in towns and the remainder
NOTES AND QUERIES
193
But in recent months the mud-skis have been used by illegal immigrants, first to help them float across the bay and then to negotiate the mud flats and swamps of the Mai Po marshes.
Yesterday Sgt-Major Wilson demonstrated how they were used. "They can move faster over the mud than a man can run over firm ground," said Sergeant Major Chris Wilson yesterday.
"If it's thick mud the illegals stand on the skis and push with their feet and they can shoot across mud and water at a tremendous speed," he said.
"If they cross thin mud or water they lay down and put out one leg and make a swimming motion and they can travel very fast.”
The Army Air Corps has adapted one of its Scout helicopters to play a very special role in rescuing refugees from the deep mud and treacherous swamps in the marshes.
The small helicopters are now equipped with nets and the crews hover over the swamps and drop out the nets to pluck illegal im- migrants trapped in the mud to safety.”
Reprinted, in part only, from the South China Morning Post, 18 June, 1979
This item was brought to my notice by our printer and Honorary Life Member Mr. Y. F. Lam (Hon. Ed.)
THE SAINTLY GUO (Sheng Gong)
Professor G. E. Guldin doubtless will be delighted to learn that the cult of Sheng Gong is alive and well and thriving in SE Asia. In his interesting article on Little Fujian in the 1977 Journal (JHKBRAS 17 (1977); 112-129) he surmised that Hong Kong may have the only Sheng Gong temple left functioning in the world. He will be surprised to hear that although there is only the one temple dedicated to Sheng Gong in Hong Kong, there were at least twelve in Singapore, six in Malaysia (1970) and twenty-seven in Taiwan (1969), all dedicated to this deity. This, of course, does not include the hundreds of images of the Saintly Guo seen in secondary posi- tions in temples throughout SE Asia and Taiwan. More than half of the temples dedicated to Sheng Gong in Taiwan (16 out of 27) are within a thirty mile radius which includes Tainan, and Kaohsiung South-West Taiwan. Only four are in towns and the remainder
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