[English] LATEST STRIKE DEVELOPMENTS. GOVERNMENT DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY.

22 June 1925

LATEST STRIKE DEVELOPMENTS.

GOVERNMENT DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY.

CONSERVING THE COLONY'S SUPPLIES.

FOOD, TRANSPORT AND LABOUR CONTROLLERS APPOINTED.

The strike of Chinese workers of the Colony having spread further to-day, with prospects of an early extension in other directions, the Government has declared that a state of emergency exists. The Volunteers have been called up for actual military service; regulations have been issued prohibiting the export of certain articles; whilst a censorship of telegrams and letters has been instituted, and powers give the authorities to commandeer, if necessary, premises required for public purposes, vehicles, coal, firewood and foodstuffs. Mr. G. M. Young has been appointed Controller of Labour; Mr. C. Mc I. Messer, Controller of Transport; Mr. N. L. Smith, Food Controller; and Mr. M. J. Breen, Censor.

One of the features of the situation is the very ready manner in which foreigners, especially foreign ladies, are coming forward to assist. At the Hongkong Hotel, where the boys walked out last evening, matters are being run in admirable manner. Plenty of food is available in the grill room and matters are well organised upstairs. At the Cafe Wiseman a number of European ladies are acting as waitresses. There is ample bread for all and it is only a question of calling either at the Ice House Street establishment or any of the outside depots for it. The Dairy Farm Company report that everything is well organised and that, although some butchers and a few other sections of the workers have left, there will be no great difficulty in carrying on. Eventually, it may come to a question of having no delivery men, but that will only entail calling at any one of the various depots.

BUSY STREETS.

The town presented a more than usually animated appearance to-day. Shops and offices were all in full swing as usual, and with the exception of no tram-cars, it was hard to imagine that the Colony was on the verge of a general strike. Launches, and ferries were functioning as usual, rickshas were getting the benefit of the tramway stoppage, and there were plenty of street and cargo coolies in evidence.

GOVERNMENT ACTION.

VOLUNTEERS CALLED UP.

Under powers conferred on him by Section 12 of the Volunteer Ordinance, "in case of great national urgency or in case of actual or apprehended invasion of or attack on the Colony, or in case of a serious local disturbance," His Excellency the Governor has issued a Proclamation calling out the Hongkong Volunteer Defence Corps for actual military service until further orders.

EXPORT EMBARGOES.

The following regulations have been made by the Governor-in-Council under Section 4 of the Importation and Exportation Ordinance:-

Except under licence from the Colonial Secretary, the export of the following articles is prohibited:-

1. Rice.

2. Flour.

3. Tinned or preserved foodstuffs.

4. Gold and silver coin in amounts exceeding five dollars and gold and silver bullion.

5. Bank notes of every description in amounts exceeding five dollars.

EMERGENCY REGULATIONS.

Under Section 2 of the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, the following regulations have been made by the Governor-in-Council:-

1. It shall be lawful for any person authorized for that purpose by the Governor to censor, and to suspend the transmission of any telegram to or in transit through the Colony.

2. No person shall transmit any telegram from or through the Colony without the permission of such person as may be authorised by the Governor to give such permission.

3. It shall be lawful for the Postmaster General, or any person authorized by him, to seize, open, censor, and suspend the transmission of any letter received by the Post Office, or by any person, for delivery in the Colony, or intended to be transmitted by any means from the Colony to any place out of the Colony.

4. It shall be lawful for the Captain Superintendent of Police, or any person authorised by him, to take possession of, use, and control, any premises, for any purpose which he may consider a public purpose.

5. It shall be lawful for the Captain Superintendent of Police, or any person authorised by him, to take possession of any vehicle and to use any such vehicle for any purpose which he, or such person, may consider a public purpose.

6.- (1) It shall be lawful for the Director of Public Works, or for the Captain Superintendent of Police, or for any person authorised thereto by either of the said officers, to take possession of any coal, firewood, or foodstuffs, and to dispose of the same in any manner which he may consider desirable in the public interest.

(2) Any coal, firewood, or foodstuffs, taken possession of under the provisions of this regulation and not returned to the owner, shall be paid for at such rates as shall be determined by a board of arbitrators hereafter to be appointed by Governor.

7. It shall be lawful for any person empowered by any regulation made under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, 1922, to do anything, to effect any entry which he may consider necessary to enable him to exercise such power.

8. No person shall obstruct any person in the exercise of any power conferred on him by any regulation made under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, 1922.

9. It shall be lawful for any public officer to arrest any person whom he may suspect of having contravened any regulation made under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, 1922.

LABOUR CONTROLLER.

MR. G. M. YOUNG APPOINTED.

Mr. G. M. Young has been appointed Controller of Labour, with headquarters at the City Hall. He issues the following notice for the information of the public:-

"An Emergency having been declared to-day by His Excellency The Governor, all persons wishing to offer their services in the public interest are requested to reports themselves to the office of the Labour Controller, City Hall.

"Persons who have already registered at Police Headquarters for essential services need not so report; their names are already on record.

"Companies or persons requiring essential labour should make written application to the Controller of Labour."

OTHER APPOINTMENTS.

The following special appointments have also been made under the Government's Proclamation:-

The Hon. Mr C. McI. Messer, Transport Controller.

Mr. N. L. Smith, Food Controller.

Mr. M. J. Breen, Censor.

PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.

The Hon. Colonial Secretary forwards us the following intimation:-

"The Government calls upon all citizens to continue their ordinary occupations. It guarantees full protection to life and property; and, if any person lose his life as a direct consequence of being engaged in carrying on his customary work, the Government will pay to his family a sum of $2,000. Appropriate payment will be made in the case of injury."

MORE SEAMEN OUT.

So far as shipping is concerned there has been a slight extension of the strike to-day. The seamen of the s.s. Haiching (Douglas, Lapraik and Co.) walked out this morning and there have been other instances of ships being deserted of all save skeleton crews.

THE BOY SCOUTS.

The Commissioner of Boy Scouts (Rev. G. T. Waldegrave) is getting together as many Boy Scouts as possible, and he will receive applications for their services when these are addressed to him at the Seamen's Institute. Hospitals and public services will have preference over other applications.

Source:

Page 1, "Hongkong Telegraph", Monday, 22nd June, 14th Year of the Republic of China
- 2nd Day (Summer Solstice), 5th Lunar Month, Yi-chou Year
- Monday, 22nd June, 1925 Common Era