ROBBERIES AND PIRACIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 6

ROBBERIES AND PIRACIES.

conditions in canton. mission: children kidnapped. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star."; DUNEDIN, this day. A recent letter from Miss Annie Hames, af Canton Village Mission, j gives a vivid glimpse of the disturbed and. distressed state of that part of Southern China at the present time. ''Unless you lived here,"' she writes, "you could have no idea of how things really are. Poor, sad, and needy China! She is torn and rent asunder. Robberies and piracies are not confined to story books, but are actual facts. On every side kidnapping among wealthy folk is prevalent. A short time ago we were all suddenly awakened from quiet sleep by gongs and whistles, and all kinds of weird noises close by. One's heart went pit-a---pat for a minute or two until one was fully awake to the real facts of what was happening. It was 1 a.m., when suddenly the 'guards' at the American Mission gate were disarmed by a body of armed robbers. These robbers then entered the school grounds, calling 'Fire, fire fire!' Naturally many of the boys jumped out of bed, and ran to see what fire, fire!' Alas, the result was that fifty boys of the middle school age, with I four of their teachers,. were kidnapped Iby robbers and taken off in launches, I which were prepared for them. "Whistles j and gongs were blown and sounded on I every hand, but it was too late. The fifty-four residents were securely in the hands of their enemies. That is five months ago, and still nineteen of the boys are in the hands of the robbers. "Stories told by the boys who have escaped would almost break one's heart. ; One boy died before leaving the robbers' i den. Imagine the poor parents; how many sad hearts yearned over their boys. And nineteen are still yearning : and longing for the day of release. "Another school (a heathen school in : our district) was entered at night, and nineteen boys were kidnapped. T have not heard of their release yet. A divinity student that our mission was helpin? through bis studies is also in the handof the robbers. A large sum is de- . manded before the robbers will release j their victims."'