Six young Chinese, themselves as shop a: students, appeared in the Provision al Court, last Friday, before Judge Hsiung and -Mr, Van den Berg, Senior Consul's' Deputy, on a charge of using threats attempt to prevent certain persons from carrying on their lawful business.
Accused were arrested in the Wayside district when two of their. number endeavoured to stop the: transportation of some cargo laving a Japanese wharf. Pickets stopped three handcarts "carrying bales of Japanese piece goods, ant ordered the coolies to take them to the headquarters of the Anti-Japanese Boycott Association in Chapel. When near Wayside police Station the coolies called a con-'Stable and he arrested the pickets. Acting on information supplied by them, a visit was paid to the branch quarters at 2489 East where a further Japanese cargo was found in addition to 'a large quantity of pro-Paganda literature, The lawyer for the complainant, 'a Chinese firm, asked the Court to deal leniently with the accused, as they believed they were acting in patriotic way, Mr. R. T. Bryan, Police Proseeutor, objected to any leniency being shown. "The most patriotic thing a man can do is to obey his country's laws, and the Gendarmerie Commissioner has ordered all propaganda and picketting to stop. This sort of thing must stop," said Mr. Bryan. Such actions by students only affected their own people more than the foreigners, and to permit of them being carried out would only do away with peace and order in the Settlement. Mr.
Bryan asked that the accused should be sentenced to two years' imprisonment each, and that the union's premises should be sealed and all Property confiscated, The Court ordered a remand to next Friday, refusing bail, suspicious-looking characters were in Seymour Road, and P.-S. Taplin, accompanied by three other officers, proceeded to the scene, Coming upon the men, the Police attempted to search them, when accused made an attempt to draw the pistol which he had in his long gown. Howev while P.-S, Taplin held accused's wrists, he was disarmed by the other policemen. At the station accused admitted that he was in Seymour Road for the purpose of kidnapping a wealthy Chinese, and showed the Police the house' that had been prepared for the victim. This house was fitted out with rough beds and the windows had all been painted, but when the Police arrived there the inmates had escaped.
Accused was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.