ARRESTED IN CHINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21935, 19 October 1934, Page 16

ARRESTED IN CHINA

WOMAN'S TRIP SPOILED UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE NEW ZEALANDER'S ORDEAL When leaving a store in Mukden, China, after making a number of purchases, Mrs. Charles Bell, who returned to Christchurch this week with her husband after a tour of the East, had the terrifying experience of being arrested by Chinese policemen and hustled from one official to another on a charge made by an old woman in a language which she did not understand. "It was terrible,''* said Mrs. Bell in an interview. "My husband was with me and we had no idea what we had done. Tho police should have had more sense than to arrest us on tho word of the old woman. For more than half an hour we were being taken from one officer to another before we could convince them that they had made a mistake. Had we been ablo to understand what they wore saying it might not- bare seemed so bad." litis experience ruined tho trip for Mrs. Bell, and she was under a doctor's orders for some time. A possible solution was provided by a Chinese missionary, whom Mr. and Mrs. Bell met when they were viewing the Great I Wall. Informed of what had happened in Mukden he said that the police and the old woman might have been in conspiracy. It was a common occurrence at that time. He added that it was dangerous to go down any small alleys. One might be found lying with one's head broken. Asked what she thought of China and Japan, Mrs. Bell said that there was a great contrast between the two countries. China was terribly dirty, while Japan was well ordered and clean. But the Chinese women were fascinating. "They are really lovely," said Mrs. Bell. "Many have adopted Western dress, which suits them." In Japan some women are also rearing Western dress, Mrs. Bell added, but she was very glad to see that Jiiany are still clad in the kimono. This gave colour and gaiety to the streets. Labour conditions were described as shocking. "The women are slaves, and the men beasts of burden. I saw four men pulling a cart which we would have drawn with two horses." Nearly all the work was done by men and women. The machine age had no great hold in the East yet. The general public in both countries were even-where charming, but the affair at Mukden had rather ruined the memory. "I am delighted to be back," said Mrs. Bell.