A STRAW-HAT RIOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

A STRAW-HAT RIOT.

Hankow has had a stsraw-hai day! It was impromptu, and it was staged to show contempt for all things Japanese. Hundreds of Chinese stationed themselves between the British settlement and the Chinese quarter and snatched all straw hats from the heads of passers-by and wrecked them. The demonstration was made on the supposition that all straw hats are imported from Japan. More than 90 Japanese stores in Hankow have been attacked by rioters and the entire ;British police force has been kept busy, as well as th» native, po'ice, auelliag dis'turbancee,

by witnessing a mysterious meeting between two men on the shore, one of whom had arrived from the Italian side by boat. As for the railway, which is also largely used, the Customs officials have not time to search every traveller. The gold traffickers got across wearing buttons like ordinary people, but the buttons are 20tr or lOfr, pieces, covered with cloth. Others wear broad scapulaires doubled, in which are sewn several hundred francs in gold. Others are women, with their dresses, their hair, and their hats lined with the precious metal. Gold is also secreted inside the outer or inner hatband. A railway guard has been arrested who made ase of his comparative immunity to take gold across the frontier.

Another trick .employed was tie following. Gold pieces were laid oat in a box which bad the appearance of a book. The bearer, oa arriving at Mentone at the French Customs, bid the book under one of the cushions, and then got out for his luggage to be examined. A moment after, a confederate who had been waiting on the platform, and had already passed the Customs, entered the compartment and took possession of tiie book, and went on to the Italian side, where he had only to hand over fee gold.