Hankow, May 10.
One of the best pieces of news which has appeared in the Chinese press during recent months figures prominently -to-day. Tt is an an-ouncement that the Civil Author-fies have recognized the serious menace to the public safety caused by the communist-brigands and have decided to organize a Special Peace Preservation Corps of 5,000 men.
their one duty will be the suppress sion of brigandage and their officers tre to be specially selected as men of resolution and skill in. strategy. To raise this Corps each county is to provide a quota of men, who are to be sent to the provincial capital for special training.
tures and mobile, well-officered force is developed the terrible conditions which now prevail may alleviated, But it is obvious that much will depend on the readiness of the adjoining provinces to join in preventing marauderers from cross-the borders. There is also some fear that if the force is well-organized it may find itself under orders to attack the "rebels" in the North and not the communists in Hapeh. As the expenses are to be met in the Province the merchants fare naturally anxious that this point should Ge safeguarded, 'A Domestic Tragedy Is an absence of condiments an adequate reason for trying to kill fono's father? A youth over at the Wen Chang Gate of Wuchang judg-that it Is. Hix father is @ boat nan in very poor circumstances and he himself is making little from a small stall he has put up. Returning to his home he found his father cooking a amall fish to go with the Inadequate quantity of rice there was. When the fish was served up the youth found that it had been cooked without enough salt or any. condiments. He made a row and his father replied that there was no money to buy anything. Whereupon the youth caught up a knife and stabbed the old man. Neigh-hours carried the father to a hospital, where he is likely. to recover, but the son has disappeared, Two fatal accidents have occurred here. On Thursday afternoon a supply wire broke outside the Chungho Gate of Wachang and fell on a woman and her daughter. The woman was killed and the girl badly burnt. The same afternoon a chauffeur took out the ear belonging to his Chinese employer and gave a friend a ride. When in the Hupeh Road the friend asked to be put down and in trying to alight before the ear had come to a standstill was pitched on to his head, He was taken to the Roman' Catholic Hospital and died yester from cussion of the brain, youth of nineteen, son of a wealthy official in the Likin service has had a romantic eteape from Kidnappers. He came across from Wachang to meet some friends for a stroll to the Chung Shan Park, hut he disappeared. Enquiries showed that he had not been to, his friend's house in Hankow. Two days later a note was received by his father asking for the payment of $10,000 within. a week or his son he Killed, The relatives wished to inform the police, but the old man decided to pay the money. He was arranging a thortgage of his property when the son suddenly arrived at his home. His story was that he was wid up by four armed men and bundled into a car. Me does not know where he was taken, but he was well treated. During the day time the kidnappers went out and left a woman in charge of the houses. She took pity on the youth: and having confided to that she was fed up with the she was living she set him free and holted at the same time herself.
Tue fourth conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations will Hangchow mext year, acthis port for Wenchow and, it is reported, no fewer than 2,600 persons who" had intended to go to the southern port fare marooned here. A number of foreigners are said to be, among these and they accordingly have been forced to cancel their passage.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.