As a matter of fact, apart from their apparent disinclination protect the foreigner, the Chinese officials are guilty of almost criminal weakness in their handling of coolie trouble in Kiukiang. The manager of a local shipping firm and his wife recently arranged to make a weekend trip to Kuling. At Lien Hua Tung they were to be carried by the gang of coolies, who had for long past worked for the firm. They got into their chairs for the mountain ascent but had only preceded a few yards, when the whole party were assaulted by another gang, who claimed that it was their tun to carry for the firm. The: two foreigners were thrown out of their-chairs and eventually left to.find their own way up the mountain, while the two gangs of coolies fought it out.
The two gangs both continue to claim the right to carry for this firm and as the foreigners in queation not anxious again to provide the material for a. tug-of-war, they cannot go to Kuling, though summer is here and the time has arrived to move the family up. The matter kas been referred to the local officials and all they do is to "hum and ha." No wonder the lady of the house has decided to go fo Tsingtao this year -istand of ling
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.