TOLL LEVIED BY CHINA BANDITS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17738, 7 January 1926, Page 11

TOLL LEVIED BY CHINA BANDITS.

LYTTELTON WOMAN RETURNS HOME, AFTER 17 YEARS AS MISSIONER.

An arrival at Lyttelton yesterday was Miss K. Stinson, a former resident of the port, who for the past seventeen years has lived in China as a medical missioner. She has obtained a good knowledge of the country, which she states is in a most deplorable state at present.

Miss Stinson, who arrived by the Moeraki, was stationed in the province of Fu Kien (Happy Province), South China. Foo Chow is the port, and it is from this port that China’s best teas are exported. It was in the town of Sun Ki (Pine River), a country town, that Miss Stinson resided. This, like many other Chinese towns, is walled, and has an eastern, a western, a northern and a southern gate. The wall is about twenty feet high and fifteen feet wide. "Such walled towns are the only places in which you can feel safe now,” said Miss Stinson, "especially after the gates are closed at dusk. At one time there was no need to close these gates, but now it is essential on account of the bandits. The whole country is absolutely over-run by bandits. What is happening in China to-day, a New Zealander can hardly believe. For instance, there is an island—about the size of Somes Island in Wellington Harbour—in the Min River, about 150 miles from the mouth. On this island are some hundreds of bandits. As the river boats come up to this island they have to pull up at the bank and wait until sortie of the bandits board the vessel and collect what is called the ‘bandits’ customs.’ The amount collected depends on what they think they can draw out of their victims. For instance. Dr Packham was required to pay £2. In return, he was handed the bandits’ red visiting card as a kind of receipt, for, though bandits, they are most polite. The sea coast towns are fairly safe, but the inland towns are all in danger from the bandits.”

Asked if there was no way by which these bandits could be prevented from operating in such a manner. Miss Stinson replied that personally she was inclined to believe that the Government or its members are bribed and will not act. The robbers could be wiped out easily by the Government if it wished, as it had the machinery to do it, but the trouble was that the Government changed about once a month and the Chinese politician went into Parliament to rob as much .as he could. "When bandits become specially troublesome,” she said, "the Government oilers the leader a position in the army. He perhaps accepts the post of colonel or general, and he then sets about oppressing the public, so that he makes more money as a general than as a bandit: If not, he turns bandit again and so, as the saying goes in China, ‘bandit to-day, soldier to-morrow.’ Half the bandits are soldiers who have deserted from the army, and it is due to the fact that they are deserters that they are so well armed and supplied with ammunition.”

Chang Tso-lin, the notorious War Lord of Manchuria, was a well-known bandit chief. He is now one of the three great leaders of China, the other two being Wu Pei-fu and General Feng. The last-mentioned, a Christian, is the best Chinese disciplinarian in the country, and where he is there is never any trouble with those under him. The soldiers of China receive £1 a month and two meals a day. China to-day is rather unsafe for foreigners, especially the British and Japanese, due partly to the bandits, but mainly to the Soviet propaganda. However, the British have the protection of their Consul. The wealthy Chinese is worse off, because he has no redress.

“Life in the unwalled towns is very trying,” said Miss StinSon. “In one such town I experienced two raids in one night, but the bandits did not break through the barricades set up on all the roads leading into the town, which are guarded by soldiers, who have constantly to be bribed and kept in luxury in the way of food. In another town where the bandits got through the guard the bandits shot women indiscriminately in order to scare the populace before looting the place, and perhaps kidnapping some prominent residents. When the raiders are approaching a town they can be distinguished by the light, and immediately the townspeople are awakened by gongs and yells which terrify the population. These conditions have existed since the downfall of the Manchurian Government in 1911, when Southern China became a republic, and since that time things have gone from bad to worse. “Travelling by sea in South China is also dangerous, on account of pirates. Vessels the si2e of the Maheno, Maori and Wahine are fitted with grill iron fore and aft to keep pirates from boarding. Passengers are let aboard through a small trap door, and in the case of a Chinese passenger he is searched by one of the four Sikh armed sentries. The officers are caged in on the bridge and never come out of their quarters unless escorted. The sentries unlock the doors to let the stewards pass from one part of the ship to another. Sometimes, however, these pirates smuggle firearms on board, and are able to carry out a hold-up. They make for the captain and officers first, and then take specie and other valuables. Last month pirates operated in Northern China for the first time. Vessels in the north are not protected against pirates and once on board they had no trouble in shooting the captain and over-powering the officers. Armed Chinese stood over the engineers, who had to obey their commands. The Chinese set a course south. As the ship carried no wireless, she was reported missing, until she turned up in Southern China after she had been depleted of everything of any value to the pirates.” Miss Stinson will make her home in New Zealand.