STARVING PEASANTS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1931, Page 3

STARVING PEASANTS

IN NORTH MEXICO. Ifuited Preas Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] NEW YORK, Feb-nary 21. A’message from Mexico City states; News from Mexicali, in lower California, has been received to the effect that a mob of three thousand lni»gry workless peasants sent an ultimatum to the authorities threatening to sack the • city of Mexicali to-morrow, unless food and jobs were provided immediately. It is stated that there is considerable misery in the neighbourhood of Mexicali, where many have recently died of starvation, and the shops have experienced much trouble with mobs of peasants attempting to obtain food. The police hope to control the situation and have been doing all possible to provide scant available rations of flour and beans for the sufferers. The situation lias been made worse by a recent reduction of the minimum salary in the cotton fields to about one dollar twenty cents a day.

Tt is reported that the Governor lias left Mexicali for Tiguann, after issuing orders that the saloons and rest, arants should discharge ail their foreign employees, and substitute unemployed Mexicans. An undercurrent of political difficulties heightens the gravity of the situation .