A LETTER FROM CHINA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25440, 11 March 1948, Page 6

A LETTER FROM CHINA

4 EFFECTS OF HUNGER AND THIEVES

FORMER PAPANUI STUDENT When Jim. Wong came to New Zealafid early in the vyar after fleeing fro'tfi the JApArte'se, mostly on foot, he could not speak a word bf Efiglish, At the end of 1946 he left the Papanui Technical College with an excellent academic And sporting record. Now fie is studying at Canton University to take a part, in the reconstruction of his country. “I am on watch duty at 11.30 pin. and I recall the Papafiui Technical College—my valuable school fHefitis, prihcipaT, arid teaciters,” he says in a letter to the school. “These thoughts in my mind suddenly come out and hang on my eyelids. .. “To-day, outside the cities, China is very unhappy,” Jim Wong says. “People are forced to become thieves becqtise ipods are scarce and very dear. Forty per cent, of the people hardly get enough food to eat and the other 60 per cent., we may say, they have enough; but it will not last long, because the ones who haven’t will sobh bdfne to steal from the ones who have. So I believe the consequence in this winter will be that 50 per cent of the people will probably starve. “Ifi the villages, people havfe to look after themselves because tttese thieves are not ordinary thieves—they forte in parties. Tltey_ have at least 400 in each party and are armed with strong weapons. With so many of them, the pplice or the power of the Government force couldn’t do anything about therfi becadse cbihmUnicAtibn in this place is difficult and it is too far from the city. Therefore, this few months I am afraid I have had to stay away from school and ii} my village to try to unite tfie fieople ifi one heart Fortress and shelter must be built here and there to prevent the thieyes coming. People will be Sent out watching at the .fiighfest point bn the hills ifi the day. tiffiq aqd ifi thfe common night. So I was home to have tftese ideas and try to save my village.” Jim Wong tells how he has exhorted his fellow villagers to unite against the Aggressor. “The thieves are trying so hard to capture me; but every time when I leave home I chance my appearafice altogether,” he added. “This is the Only way I am able tb get through this place to the city from my village, because the thieves have my phbto. If I were in their hands I am sUre they wb'tild shoot me

“A person has two jobs.” he says, alluding to bis own position. “One in Cahton Uhlversity and the other between life and death; but I am not a bit frightened.” He mentions that he has lost two stone in weight through worrying about the “hundreds and hundreds of people in the village dependent on me." Comparin’ Christmas in Christchurch —“Father Christmas with long white beard travelling on the Square, shoekeepers busy to serve pennle. tehtners buying toys for their children, work’ teen thinking of the big dinner on the 25th, Sumner and New Brighton beaches crowded with thousands or smiling faces”—Jim Wong refers to the want, suffering, and cold in ChinaPapanui Technical College intends to. aicLJimmy Wong’s village through