A serious situation has arisen in the Settlement during the past few days out of the recent attitude of the painters, who demanded an increase in wages. The Chinese newspapers on Thursday reported that a "decidedly ugly step had been taken by carpenters and masons, who have the same complaint to make as the painters, viz., the high cost of living. A strike is threatened if the demands of the workmen are not promptly acceded to. As largo numbers of the men have ceased work and are collecting in crowds in the streets the police have strengthened the patrols by drafting a number of Sikhs to do special patrol duty."
Inquiries made on Thursday night confirmed this report to a great extent, although it was not stated that extra patrols of Sikhs had been sent out.
The trouble, it appears, has been brewing for some time. The pain-tors were the first to make a move, and they have now been joined by large numbers of wood-workers, and has been commenced. are keenly alive to the situation, and have already taken measures to deal with any trouble in the way of riots which might occur. Two men (painters) appeared before the Mixed Court on Wednesday, and they were each sentenced to six months' imprisonment, at the sam time receiving a smart "'lectu1 from Mr. Grant Jones, the British Assessor. Before the men were taken to the Court from the Hongkew Police Station it was known that sympathizing strikers proposed to assemble near the Court in large Sikhs and Europeans. A slight de monstration was made before the men were safely lodgd in the Court, but it did not develop, the strong force of the police having the desired effect, Mass Meeting in the City. It is stated that " crowd of seven thousand men assembled in the Native City on Tuesday, when they were addressed by & prominent
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.