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to retire, as if no war were in progress and no shortage of manpower in prospect.
The price of rice had risen from 15 dollars per picul in 1939 to 110 dollars per picul, increasing the terrible hardship of the thousands of refugees, and requiring constant adjustment to the pay of Chinese employees. It also affected the finances of the Municipal Council, which found it would again have to advance rates and taxes to cover increased expenses. At the same time the continued pressure of the Japanese, who wished to seize control of the huge Municipal administrative machine, became more urgent. The Council worked out a compromise arrangement, under which it was hoped that the bulk of the foreign interests could be maintained pending conclusion of the Japanese war with China.
A special meeting of the landrenters, to be held at the Race Club, was called for January 26th, 1941. The Norwegian Consul, in the Chair, the members of the Council, and the municipal secretaries, took their seats on a covered platform, erected opposite the racing stands, on which the landrenters were disposed. I had a seat facing the platform, and noticed that the Japanese landrenters were sitting in a crowd, several hundreds strong, at the far right. The British Chairman of the Council put forward the motion for the increased taxes; he was opposed by Mr. Hayashi, the Chairman of the Japanese Residents Association. The other foreign landrenters, by virtue of their much larger holdings of property, of course greatly outvoted the Japanese. When the motion was put to the vote, by a show of hands, the Norwegian Consul declared the motion carried. There was an immediate outcry from the Japanese and Mr. Hayashi approached the platform, as everyone thought to make another speech; but instead of moving to the rostrum on one side, he walked round behind the long table at which the Councillors sat, and suddenly pulled out a pistol. Mr. Okamoto, one of the Japanese Councillors noticed this, realised what was up, and very pluckily tried to grab the gun. He was in time to deflect the aim, but two shots were fired from which the Chairman of the Council received flesh wounds in the arm and side, while one of the bullets passed through Mr. Okamoto's hand. Pandemonium then broke out amongst the Japanese ratepayers; howling like a pack of wolves, they tried to rush the platform, to rescue Mr. Hayashi, who was being led away by the police. When the group on the platform moved beyond the screens to the rear,
143
to retire, as if no war were in progress and no shortage of manpower in prospect.
The price of rice had risen from 15 dollars per picul in 1939 to 110 dollers per picul, increasing the terrible hardship of the thousands of refugees, and requiring constant adjustment to the pay of Chinese employees. It also affected the finances of the Municipal Council, which found it would again have to advance rates and taxes to cover increased expenses. At the same time the continued pressure of the Japanese, who wished to seize control of the huge Municipal administrative machine, became more urgent. The Council worked out a compromise arrangement, under which it was hoped that the bulk of the foreign interests could be maintained pending conclusion of the Japanese war with China.
A special meeting of the landrenters, to be held at the Race Club, was called for January 26th, 1941. The Norwegian Consul, in the Chair, the members of the Council, and the municipal secretaries, took their seats on a covered platform, erected opposite the racing stands, on which the landrenters were disposed. I had a seat facing the platform, and noticed that the Japanese landrenters were sitting in a crowd, several hundreds strong, at the far right. The British Chairman of the Council put forward the motion for the increased taxes; he was opposed by Mr. Hayashi, the Chairman of the Japanese Residents Association. The other foreign landrenters, by virtue of their much larger holdings of property, of course greatly outvoted the Japanese. When the motion was put to the vote, by a shew of hands, the Norwegian Consul declared the motion carried. There was an immediate outery from the Japanese and Mr. Hayashi approached the platform, as every one thought to make another speech; but instead of moving to the rostrum on one side, he walked round behind the long table at which the Councillors sat, and suddenly pulled out a pistol. Mr. Okamoto, one of the Japanese Councillors noticed this, realised what was up, and very pluckily tried to grab the gun. He was in time to deflect the aim, but two shots were fired from which the Chairman of the Council received flesh wounds in the arm and side, while one of the bullets passed through Mr. Okamoto's hand. Pandemonium then broke out amongst the Japanese ratepayers; howling like a pack of wolves, they tried to rush the platform, to rescue Mr. Hayashi, who was being led away by the police. When the group on the platform moved beyond the screens to the rear,
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