CHING LEE UNDER FIRE

NZ Truth, Issue 1105, 3 February 1927, Page 7

CHING LEE UNDER FIRE

BARRAGE ON- ELTHAM FRONT

(From "N.Z. Truth's l^ Etham Representative.) . ' - "Squad! Fall m!" Twenty-five young men with shoulders erect and heads held high formed into ranks, dressed their lines and awaited the next command. '

<>tQ QUAD, number! " .It was done. ' O "Squad, form fouis!" A ser-g-pant-major ■ would have been proud of the precision with' which the command was obeyed. "Right wheel, quick march! "and to the snappy commands of the lender the little army marched from the vicinity of the E!tham railway station and down the dip of Bridge Street. The march, though orderly was not silent. Each man boasted a newspaper impression 'of the critical situation m China and aired his views accordingly. ■ . Thus was the calm of a Sabbath evening m Eltham rudely disturbed by what is perhaps the first demonstration m force against China. The marching and the shouting — m themselves— were harmless enough, but presently the leader called a halt near, the little: shop of Ching Lee, whose cabbages and fruit provided him ' with/," a comfortable living m the land of his adoption. . "S(jup-'\ halt!" The marching ceased and illr-ic? reigned. Now Ching L.cc the warriors reasoned "was. of course, a native of China; had not the Chinese destroyed British property and evicted British people? ■ . The 'eader of th.c attacking forces had already ■ decided on an intensive barrage, but for fear of creating too great a disturbance it "wits agreed that 25 strong right av-ns could throw perhaps a few too many stones, so lots were drawn. , Many v/ere called, but only four were chosen. At once they commenced a deafening bombardment

• of the iron roof of the building. Suddenly a shadowy form was seen inside the building while other and more substantial figures appeared, down the street. At the. word: "Go for your lives, boys'." the avengers' of British pi-es-Uge scattered m all directions, but one of them stayed behind to fire the final shot. . : He had two stones m his hand and one scored a bull's eye on Ching Lee's display window. 'Mid the. crash of splintering glass and Chinese imprecations the- street front was cleared as though by magic. The sequel was heard m. the Eltham MosisfsVte's Court a few days later, when three of the youths appeared before S.M. Tate charged with, endangering- and damaging property by throwing stones. ' > The defendants were soundly lectured by the magistrate and on their giving an undertaking to pay the necessary costs and refrain from any further demonstration * o HiaV^QS. wai:» ■■reminded.. Their names were suppressed. The facts were outlined by Constable Townsend, who said the youths harl started out "apparently to smack up the Chows." m answer- to the bench, the youths said .they were influenced by the trouble m China and had recently been discussing the situation. After pointing out that their attitude was precisely that of the Chinese In China and contrary to all the principles of British fair play, the jnagistrate extracted a solemn promise of good behavior for the future. : '