The Chang=Sha Riots.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 May 1910, Page 4

The Chang=Sha Riots.

A CHINES 10 VIEW OF CAUSES. CORXEUICD inCJO ALSO AMBITION OF .MISSIONARIES. Mr Tong, diai Oliili, of tho ''Tung Wah Times," interviewed in Sydney in reference to .the rioting and cornering of rico in the province ol Hunan said:— "I. am deeply interested, at the ■same time somewhat distressed, at events now going on, Hunan being my nativo province. "The province of Hunan has an area, which i.s estimated at B;j.-100 square miles, with a population of 22,1)00,01)0. The people of the province, it is saidj are the sturdiest and most straightforward of the provincials of China, and they have never allowed the Empire to forget that to Itheni was due its salvation during the period 18;"W-(J3, when tho Hunan braves, under Tseng Kwofar, arrested and turned back the advancing wave of the Talping rebellion. From that time until the recent formation of the 'new model army' the Chinese Army was largely composed of Hiinanese braves.

"Changslm, 'the 'capital of -the province, was opened as a treaty port in 190-1. The city is noted ■as a centre of learning and culture. "The province of Hunan as a rice-producing province is splendid. Tho alluvial lauds and valley produce, lice, with an exportable surplus of over a million piculs annually." When Mr 'Jong was asked it ho' thought the rice was cornered, he '•aid in all probability it was. The officials probably heard that there was a shortage of rice in tho other provinces, and decided on cornering it, to the detriment of the peoplo of Hunan. OFFfCfAT, STATUS CLAIMED. A\ lien asked his opinion as it-o how the missionaries became involved in the trouble, he said: "It is, in my opinion, only a. repetition of former missionary troubles. All missionaries in China under the .extra territoriality clause, and are to be dealt wi'th by choir own national authoritios. Among the missionaries are some who, exalting tho importance of their office, arrogate to themselves an official status. "This status was forced by M. I'ichon, the French Minister at I'eking, and a Roman Catholic Bishop, on .March 10. 1899, the .status of a Roman Catholic Bishop being the equivalent of a viceroy. This power, I regret to say, has caused considerable irritation amongst all classes. The priests, in some cases at least, have undertaken to enforce the idea of tho temporal authority of tho Church, and have attempted to add political jurisdiction to their spiritual functions. The result i.s bitter illfeeling and constant strife. "One Bishop, it is said, has been ■seen travelling It ho circuit of his diocese in a sedan chair covered wth ' imperial yellow,' borno by eight men, and attended by a numerous retinue, and all dressed in official unfonn. The 'Imperial yellow' is reserved for the exclusive use of tho Emperor, and any Chinese sufficiently bold to make use of it would suffer immediate decapitation. Ml SSI OX ARIES AS PROTECTORS " Whait China cannot tolerato and submit to, and is going to try to eliminate from the oxtra-territo-riality, is as it regards Chinese subjects on Chinese sou. It is only the Chinese authorities who should deal with them, and Chinese, subjects, whether Christian or not, to be accounted good subjects must render an exact obedience to the hnws of China. "If any offend against those laws they must, one and all, Christians or non-Christians alike, submit to dealt with by their wvn naltive authorities, and the foreign niissonarv cannot be permitted to usurp tho right of shielding them from the consequences of itheir acts. At tho same time, f do not agree with the lawless mob attacking the mission." Mr Tong added that he feared tho trouble would spread to other provinces. The Chiffreti had' appealed to the authorities at Peking for constitutional government, and the answer received was very unsatisfactory. Further disaffection was likely as a protest.

A young man named Scott, who is a good swimmer, caused a sensation at Manly, Sydney, by going in ii' place indicated by signal as dangerous. He threw up his hands as i! in difficulties, and when a anem'>er of the surf club swam out to lis assistance lie stood up and walked out of the water. The MagisM'ate characterised his conduot us leartless and cruel and calculated :o prevent persons in real distress

from receiving assistance. Hβ was finod £3, or one month's bard labour. Nelson H. Heath, of Bristol street, desires to be- kept in constant memory by the tradesmen of this town; also by any householder who may require parcels or goods shifted or despatched. He is hi telephone 45, and he guarantees to attend promptly and carefully to any orders placed with him. " Ring him up. Furniture shifting is his speciality.—Advt. I.ovoly Chocolate in Jowol Caskots fm» to all nsors. Writ* to pADBUNY'S Wellington. for Coupon Starter SPRAINS AND BRUISES.

A GLIMPSE OF LOXDOX LIFE, In front of every public bouso i passed in the streets of Hackney through which i strolled was a small knot oi poor devils waiting in hope that some acquaintance, in better luck than themselves, would invite them to that nenny drink of thin swipes which would entitle them to a broken biscuit from the oar counter. In one street 1 counted \il men standing outside the four publichouses. Not one of these men were smoking 1 believe that not one <>» hem had a singlo pomny in his pocket, otherwise I should have them U PIPO Ol ' cigarette amongst J was so impressed by this that 1 turned into a dingy tobacco-sweet shop. A dishevelled Jewess served me with six pennyworth of her cheapest cigarettes. For thus silver ijute she gave me 35. And tlien Jier womanly compassion, moved 'by my woebegone appearance, prompted lier to say, "Perhaps you ivould like a light?" She tossed me a halfpenny box of matches. 1 wandered down to one of the , groups already mentioned and on- : :ered into conversation with two ■ouths of about 20, who were tidily >iit shabbily dressed, and a himoryookmg man whom I took to" be onio kind of mechanic Taking nit throw or four loose cigarettes I'oin my pocket, I offered one to ' he'better dressed of the youths. _ \\hat?" he exclaime<l, "had a ■it of luck this morning, old man? i'lt I don't like {& take it, as J .'in t give you notiliiiig in return." M.V this double negative he meant r> imply that he was absolutely n the rocks himself, and did not •;i.sh to rob a. fellow-sufferer of any ) ieoe of luck upon which he might avo chamced. I assured them that I had a job ii the preceding day, .and all three • >ok the cigarette with eagerness. ! Having thus cemented this pave- ! lent acquaintance, I asked ten- i itively what the chances Were of ' any work. i The; mechanic buntJJp suggested ) iat I must be a "cuckoo," which / understood from the context to ean a stranger, if I expected to ( i<l work in Hackney in the middle the day. He himself had been nwid to no Jess than nine engin- ( 'ring firms that morning before / ght o'clock, in the hope ) getting a temporary job ) a fitter. Ho was a plumber /

by trade. \ The other two had just tramped ( hack from Millwall Docks, where ( they had tried to find something, ) from wharf hand to stowaway, in / the shipping line. The better ) dressed of the two said that, for ' his part, he got one meal a day at ™ his home. The other youth admit- ' ted that there were 'always a few pence to bo earned each night outsido the public-bouses by minding the children while their parents were in the bar. Tim plumber's story was pathetic He had a wife with a small baby at home, and had only been able to find two days' work in the last three weeks. At last he had Jbeen forced to throw himself upon the mercy of the parish, with the result that ho had received a tenpenny ticket which be could realise either in a stipulated butcebr's, baker's or grocer's shop. For him, with his small child ait : home, there was only one course. | Hβ had to buy a tin of preserved milk at the grocer's, supplement it with coal'and filing. Tf the grocer in his magnamity, 'had not soldi him half a loaf of bread for the | for the odd halfpence,, father and mother would have benefited by the oh!U , ity.--"B!hckwood's Mngaz'inp."