ADVENTURES IN CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 83, 9 April 1929, Page 9

ADVENTURES IN CHINA.

SAVED BY ALSATIAN.

AN ENGINEER'S EXPERIENCE.

HATRED OF FOREIGNERS

After thirteen years in chaotic China, six of which were spent in the city of Tientsin, about 100 miles south of Peking, Mr. A. W. Nash, with his wife and small daughter, arrived at Auckland to-day on the Marama, to spend a holiday with Mr. T. Woods, of Station Road, Penrose, who is an uncle of Mr. Xash. During the past six years Mr. and Mrs. Nash have lived perilously. There has been fighting almost in their back garden. As a result, Mrs. Xash is in a- very poor state of health, her nerves ha\ing collapsed under the strain, and the health of her little daughter has also been impaired. Mr. Nash, who is assistant waterworks engineer to the British Municipal Council at Tientsin, has ©scaped death at the hands of Chinese soldiers and bandits on more than one occasion. A big Alsatian dog, trained from his P u PPy days to be the protector of the family, saved the life of Mr. Xash when he wag attacked by armed Chinees on the sandy plain outside Tientsin. The Alsatian, standing over three feet high, made short work of one of the marauders who was inclined to be violent. Xo sooner had the Chinamen attacked Mr. Xash than the great dog rushed forward with an angry roar, pulled his victim to the ground and killed him. The other Chinese fled, and Mr. Xash reached home safely. On yet another occasion Mr. Xash was motoring over the sandy plain at night, when Chinese bandits stopped his car by waving a red lantern. He pulled up, thinking there was an obstruction ahead, and found himself looking down the barrels of two revolvers. The Chinese took all his money and valuables, but spared his life. After that experience Mr. Xash always carried a revolver. The dog which saved his life has been left behind in China with some of Mr. Xasli's friends. H e says it is a docile animal in ordinary times, but should anyone raise a hand to any member of the family there is trouble immediately. The Alsatian is so powerful that nothing save a bullet could prevent the dog from killing his victim. Mr. Xash would not dare lift a hand to his daughter if the dog happened to be about. Tf anyone except Mr. Xash were to feed the dog the animal's usefulness as a family guardian would be finished. There is good reason for keepinp such a dangerous dog about the place, because British subjects are frequently subjected to outrage at the hands of Chinese. When Europeans are foolish enough to leave their own section and penetrate the Chinese portion of the city they are looking for trouble. Mr. Xash says that seekers of curios in the labyrinthian alleyways of the Chinese city have been stoned and spat upon by fanatical Chinamen. A deep-seated hatred of the foreign devil frequently manifests itself in this wav.

Malignant Red Influence.

[" i- 'W»r l jfl .tbina'' is a cable page caption which occasions little interest in New Zealand. Most readers have only the foggiest notion of what is going on in that vast country, and the scraps of news which are cabled do little more than give the impression that something in the nature of a large-scale feud between rival laundries is being carried on. The bewildering names of the Chinese generalissimos are sufficient to cloud the issue. Hence, when Mr. Nash spoke of the trouble in China, lie did not attempt a detailed description ot the state of the country, but summed the whole thing uj» by saying that £ s. d. was at the bottom of it all. He saw the Chinese city of Tientsin looted in 1920 as the fortunes of war ebbed and flowed. There is acute trade depression by reason of the long-continued warfare. The malignant influence of the Reds is everywhere apparent. Mr. Nash said his main efforts were directed towards | restraining his Chinese labourers from | joining the unions. Once a Chinaman | joined a union he was useless as a I worker, since strikes were general wlien- ! ever and wherever unions became | strong. Mr. Nash and his family live ; in the compound at Tientsin, and it is [only by keeping a Jirni hand on the coolies that safety is maintained. ! Mr. Nash says the Nationalist Gov- , ernment is negotiating with the British authorities, and it is possible that 1 British recognition will be accorded if the Nationalists can maintain a dominant position. British recognition might mean that the concessions would be handed hack to China. Mr. Nash believes that this would be disastrous.