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at the meeting warned them that it would be best to avoid such a sensitive issue. To ask for a remittance of fines would amount to charging the Government with a miscarriage of justice, and so they remained silent. And, much as the officials realized the vital role of the fines, they, too, avoided bringing it up with the Chinese leaders.
Both sides, however, realized the fines were the key to resolving the stalemate. In fact, a rather ironical situation arose. Marsh, we have seen, tried to offer the remittance of fines as an inducement to the workers to resume work, but received no response. He admitted much later that it was believed that the fines had already been remitted by "those who instigated the strike."73
Some one had got ahead of him.
Who had repaid the fines? The Daily Press reported a rumour that the Tung Wah Committee had repaid the fines to the boatmen.74 How probable was this? We know that Chang Chih-tung had asked Chinese leaders to end the strike, and they themselves might have felt that things had gone far enough. They knew exactly what the key issue was, but sensing that they would get nowhere with the Government, they, and particularly the Tung Wah Hospital Committee, may well have done what must have appeared a relatively simple task i.e. repay the fines. The rumour which the newspaper reported was likely to be more than a rumour.
The more interesting question is, why was Chang Chih-tung under the impression that the fines had been paid by the Hong Kong Government, and that it was through the mediation of the Tung Wah Hospital? It is safe to speculate that the Tung Wah had planted this idea in his mind. It was essential for it to appear in official Chinese eyes as "fixers", as being able to get things done with the Hong Kong Government. It was as important to win Chinese decorations to impress the people and Government of Hong Kong, as it was to dazzle the Canton Government with the strings they could pull in Hong Kong.
Not only was Chang Chih-tung given to think that it was the Tung Wah's mediation which had resolved the situation, this impression was also given in the Chinese newspapers.The
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84
ELIZABETH SINN
at the meeting warned them that it would be best to avoid such a sensitive issue. To ask for a remittance of fines would amount to charging the Government with a miscarriage of justice, and so they remained silent. And, much as the officials realized the vital role of the fines, they, too, avoided bringing it up with the Chinese leaders.
Both sides, however, realized the fines were the key to resolving the stalemate. In fact, a rather ironical situation arose. Marsh, we have seen, tried to offer the remittance of fines as an inducement to the workers to resume work, but received no response. He admitted much later that it was believed that the fines had already been remitted by "those who instigated the strike."73
Some one had got ahead of him.
Who had repaid the fines? The Daily Press reported a rumour that the Tung Wah Committee had repaid the fines to the boatmen.74 How probable was this? We know that Chang Chih-tung had asked Chinese leaders to end the strike, and they themselves might have felt that things had gone far enough. They knew exactly what the key issue was, but sensing that they would get nowhere with the Government, they, and particularly the Tung Wah Hospital Committee, may well have done what must have appeared a relatively simple task i.e. repay the fines. The rumour which the newspaper reported was likely to be more than a rumour.
The more interesting question is, why was Chang Chih-tung under the impression that the fines had been paid by the Hong Kong Government, and that it was through the mediation of the Tung Wah Hospital? It is safe to speculate that the Tung Wah had planted this idea in his mind. It was essential for it to appear in official Chinese eyes as "fixers", as being able to get things done with the Hong Kong Government. It was as important to win Chinese decorations to impress the people and Government of Hong Kong, as it was to dazzle the Canton Government with the strings they could pull in Hong Kong.
Not only was Chang Chih-tung given to think that it was the Tung Wah's mediation which had resolved the situation, this impression was also given in the Chinese newspapers." The
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