CHINESE IN FIGHTING MOOD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 4

CHINESE IN FIGHTING MOOD.

CUSTOMS'OFFICERS FLY BEFORE! THEM. ■ (Br Telegraph.—Press Association^). Christchurch, November 18. •; An exciting incident occurred on board the steamer. Strathclyde at ■ Lyttelton the other night owing to the. Chinese crew resenting the visit of a Customsofficer to their quartet's. A Chinaman, 1 living in Lyttelton, had been seen to go on board tho vessel, and, suspecting that there might be opium in the forecastle, the Customs officers went into the crow's quarters, and searched. At : the time of the. search one Chinaman was in his bunk, .and had an opium smok-ing-pipo and a tray, on'which was S small quantity of the .drug; The'pipo : and tray were seized by one of-the officers, who took it to the chief officer's room, where it was locked up. Meantime the Chinese in the forecastle had worked themselves up into a' very excited condition, and matters looked very uglv for the.Customs officer, who was surroiipded by a jabbering and gesticulating mob. . He deemed it wise' to beat, a.,hasty .'retreat, but one :Chin'eserattempted to.-bar.jiim. This:.man.: however, received a blow from the officer's'fist which sent him staggering, the officer rushing out of the forecastle,. and, gaining the bridge deck,; pursued by the whole crowd of Chinese,, who seized lumps of coal, and started to pelt: both Customs men. . One was struck .on, the back by. a large piece of coal, and the other fell into'the net under the gangway, ,and things looked bad for him. as one of the, Chinese was in the act of throwing a large lump of" coal at bis head, when the other Customs officer seized a lump of. coal,, hurled it. at the Chinaman, and thus diverted his attention.' .Tho-.man in the net. gained the wharf, and both officers escaped up the wharf from the yelling, and dangerously excited mob. It is possible that'further proceedings will b» taken. .