SITUATION IN CHINA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19500, 8 June 1925, Page 7

SITUATION IN CHINA

EXTENSION OF STRIKE. POORER CHINESE REEL PINCH. Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright. PEKING, June 5. The Chamber of Commerce lias decided against a general strike but it has agreed to boycott goods and bank notes ot the countries concerned in the withdrawal ot deposits from their banks. The strike | circulars to-day called on the domestics Ito walk out. Unemployed Russians, Boy i Scouts, ■women, and foreign volunteers are minimising the | effects ot the stnke. As regards foreigners, the food situation is merely inconvenient, but the poorer ol the Chinese are beginning to feel the pinch of hunger, and danger is looming up of their looting the provision shops.— Reuter. EXTENSION OF TROUBLE. OTHER CITIES AFFECTED. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. SERIOUS SITUATION AT NANKING. PEKING, June 7. (Received Juno 7, at 5.5 p.m.) Advices from Shanghai state that the strike is spreading to the French concession. It was estimated yesterday that the strikers numbered 250,000, but a number of staffs have resumed, including those of the foreign cable companies and commercial press, as well as 600 workers in the Japanese Bahkoong mills, and oUu in the Riverside power station. ihe defence situation is continually being strengthened. Approximately ib'JO marines and bluejackets have landed from three British, one French, and one Italian cruisers, seven American destroyers, and 10 English, French, and Japanese gunboats. hour hundred American marines are doe to-morrow. The absence of riots and the resumption of duties by the workers indicate that the students are losing their grip of the situation, while the arrival of Commissioners from Peking whose mission is only investigatory, should help to clear the atmosphere. ~ The wide nature of the student disturbances is further shown by messages from Hankow on Friday and Saturday, saying that 20,000 persons are agitating and distributing anti-foreigu leaflets. The Chinese authorities so far have prevented the “big demonstration movement, which began an Hankow on May 25. Ono thousand students demonstrated in, the native city of 'lsientsm, but there were no incidents. The streets were heavily guarded by polled reinforced Oy Manchurian soldiers. The professors joined the students who made speeches demanding the restoration of Dairen, the boycott ol the British, and the abolition ol concessions. General Chang- iso-lm, who is in Tsientsin, assured the chief of police that he will back every effort to maintain order and assume full responsibility in the event of the Poking Government countermanding the police measures. . The British Consul-General at CmnKiang, near Nanking, telegraphed to Shanghai as follows: —“Riots in concession, Can navy solid assistance(” To this a reply was sent by the American admiral, who wirelessed instructing rn American warship which was proceeding up the Yangtse-Kiang River to put ;n at Chiivkiaug. , , , Latter messages stated that the situation was serious. The rioting students wrecked three houses in the concession. The Chinese police who were told off to protect the foreigners were absolutely useless and the rioters carried on until the commanding Chinese general brought his own. troops on the scene four hours after. The Consul-General asked for assistance. The Chinese general restored order and the foreign women and ’hildren returned on shore from the boats in which they had taken refuge. ( A message to-night, however, states that the situation is again serious. The American gunboat Paul Jones is now due at Chin-kiang and H.M.S. Woodlark should reach there on Monday.—Reuter NATIVE POLICE JOIN STRIKERS. PEKING, June/5. (Received June 6, at 5.5 p.m.) About 4CO Chinese of the lower ranks of tho settlement police are absent without leave. The absentees form less than 20 per cent, of the Chinese in the police force. —A. and N.Z. Cable. FIGHTING AT CANTON. MERCENARIES DRIVEN OUT.PEKING, June 6. (Received June 7, at 5.5 p.m.) Fighting occurred at Canton, the Cantonese driving out the Yunnanese mercenaries. Telegraphic communication with Hongkong is suspended. JAPANESE CRUISER DESPATCHED. TOKIO, June 6. (Received June 7, at 5.5 p.m.) Tho Navy Office slates that the cruiser Tatsuka has sailed for Shanghai with 200 marines.—A. and N.Z. Cable.