ASSAULT ON A CHINAMAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4527, 2 December 1901, Page 5

ASSAULT ON A CHINAMAN.

riIESS ASSOCIATION - . CEIIISTCIIUECJI. December 1 Tho south-east quarter of the town was thrown into a stale of excitement last night, when something like a bombardment took place at tho promises of leo Bow and Company, Chinese storekeepers. About 0 o’clock a woman living in the vicinity missed one of her little girls, aged 11, and traced her to the Chinamen’s shop, where she. with two other girls, was purchasing crackers. The mother jumped lo tho conclusion that one of tho Chinamen had been encouraging the children to go to the place, and proceeded m give the inoffensive Mongolian a piece of her mind, making grave charges against him. She then hit the child on the bead with a piece of a box lid. and as tho' Chinaman protested, she picked up a heavy box and struck him on the head. Tho unfortunate man replied by striking the woman on the head with a bamboo walking stick. She shrieked, and this brought a crowd round, to whom tho woman told a voluble tale of tho Chinaman’s perfidy, with tho result that several men rushed into the shop and assaulted tho Mongolian. Eventually tho nolice came ou the scene, and the intruders were got out, tho door locked, and matters quirted down. About 10.30, however, tho woman returned with her husband, and a crowd of 2000 people gathered. In spite of a largo reinforcement of police, tho building was pretty well wrecked. Tho panels of the door were kicked in, and not a whole pane of class was left iu tho place. So far no arrests have boon made, but the police are satisfied there is no truth in tho 'statements of tho woman ns to the Chinamen encouraging children to visit their house.