Chinese in the Transvaal.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7955, 19 October 1905, Page 2

Chinese in the Transvaal.

The Rov. John I toward, formerly a minister llie East London Mission and who was recently Appointed to ttw Transvaal and Swaziland district, in a letter to friends in London "writes as follows My introduction to Hie Clunt.se has Uoen somewhat tragic. On June 9 1 was called on to bury a wlutc miner who had been killed by a *ninese in a riot on the Croesus mine. The facts as yet.aro not.very clear, but it appears that a couple of days •before there was a great deal of unrest among the Chine.se. They had not been paid when they thought •they ought to have been, and, it being a Chinese holiday, I suppese they, wanted their money. On the other side, it is certain there had been a good deal of drinking among the white men. Il is also clear that this is one of the mines where Chinese arc Hogged., contrary to law. 1 am sorry to make the last statement, but there can be no further ] doubi on the matter. The Rose Deep mine furnishes us with another story,, which is rosy in nothing save colour. A Chinese coolic came off

work one day in the last week in April. It was discovered he had not done the amount of work set for him. It is said he complained that he was too ill to do any more, but in any case lie was deliberately flogged. On April 28, which, I believe, was next day, he was found to be suffering from enteric fever, and in a few days died. It is said tlrat instead of rubbing himself with some mollifying ointment lie had rubbed himself with iodine, which had produced blisters, and thus made things appear Worse then they really wore. There is a medical certificate that he died from enteric. The coolies were so incensed that after his death Hicy broke open the mortuary and took out the body, which they carried on their shoulders towards another mine, with a view presumably of creating a disturbance. They were, however, driven back to the compounds, artrt the body was buried. It is difficult to speak with restraint about tueh monstrous doings, but you may rest assured no stone will be left unturned to bring the ofh JUS - ICe an(l Prevent such things happening in the future,