COOLIES KIDNAPPED?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 92, 9 July 1927, Page 9

COOLIES KIDNAPPED?

Amazing Story of Seizure of 500 for New Hebrides Mines SHIP DESCRIBED AS HUGE CAGE FROM Townsville, in Queensland, comes an amazing story. Several hundred coolies are said to have been kidnapped in Annam for work in the New Hebrides mines. There are allegations that the ship they are on was like a steel-spiked cage, and that a sick man was thrown overboard to drown; also that armed men stood guard over the coolies during the voyage. By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright Reed. 10.40 a.m. BRISBANE, To-day. AT a largely-attended meeting on the Townsville jetty, allegations were made that between 400 and 500 Annamese coolies, aboard the steamer Hai Hum, at present in Townsville Harbour, had been kidnapped. It was alleged at the meeting that the coolies were “shanghaied” from the French Concession of Kwong Chow-Won, after being given drugged cigarettes, and were consigned to the mines in the New Hebrides.

It was stated that a message had been smuggled ashore from the vessel to the effect that a sick man was thrown overboard a couple of days before the ship reached Townsville. Further allegations were that there

was no doctor aboard, and that the coolies were treated worse than pigs. The vessel was stated to be a huge cage from amidships, with spiked steel lattice guards, and men were on duty with rifles and revolvers.

The owners of the ship state that the coolies were not kidnapped, and that the only precautions taken were those necessary to prevent any contravention of the Australian immigration laws. The ship is at present anchored in Cleveland Bay. The Federal Government instructed

hold an inquiry, and this officer states that the Chinese have French and Chinese passports, which disposes of the shanghaiing story.—A. and N.Z.