CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2490, 4 December 1901, Page 21

CANTERBURY.

The south-east quarter of Christchurch was thrown into a state of excitement on Saturday, when something like a bombardment took place at the shop of Yee Bow and Co., Chinese storekeepers. It appears that about 9 p.m. a woman living in the vicinity missed one of her little girk, aged 11 years, and traced her to the Chinamen's shop, where she, with two other girls, was purchasing crackers. The mother jumped to the conclusion that the Chinaman had been encouraging the children to go to his place, and proceeded to give the inoffensive Mongolian a piece of her mind, and made grave charges against him. She then hit the child on the head with a piece of box lid, and as the Chinaman protested she picked up a heavy box ando struck him on the head. The unfortunate man replied by striking the

woman on the head with a bamboo -Udng^ stick. She shrieked, and this brough; - -.rowctf round, to whom the woman told v. voluble^ tale of the Chinaman's perfidity, ivith thej result that several men rushed into the<.' shop and assaulted the Mong-olian. Eventually the police came on the scene, and the* intruders were got out and the door lockecr^ and matters quieted down. About 10.30,,' however, the woman returned with her hushand, and a crowd of 2000 people gathered. In spite of the large reinforcement of police the building was pretty well wrecked, the panels of the doors kicked in, and not a> whole pane of glass is left in the place. So far no arrests have been made, but the police are satisfied there is no truth in the statements of the woman as to Chinamen encouraging children to visit their house.