Dec. 26.
Investigations have been made in Harbin regarding the conditions of Mfe of the Russian teachers and their scholars In the poorer distriews of the city, these investigations showing tat in many eases the life of these people is terrible, having little food to eat ud shelter of the meagre st, with no eating and no sanitary conveniences, In the case of teachers, many of them have not Fecelved their salaries {for several months, or have received such a small. sum. towards their salaries that it is insufeent to ever ay the rent of the smallest room. ore is a district of Harbin called fahalova, where rooms can be had a from $5 per month uy 4 Jmany of these are let in parts, each tenant inhabiting a corner. By thu' Maj. crowding into one room, there more warmth, the lack of fel no! being so apparent.
An inspection of the miserable tenements In whick many" the [scholars reside showed scenes of extreme poverty, children having] [practically nothing but a crust bread to eat and in many cases clothing of te thinnest kind, In which they could not possibly go! out the severe cold. In one house the Inspector found a\ woman holding ai Jsmaii baby to her body so as to keep warm, while two other children sat huddled together trying to get] some warmth into their emaciated Many of these children lead a vagrant fe, begging in the streets at all hours of the day and often in the night, but unfortunately their earnings in this manner are often used by their parents or employers Hfor narcotics, while the small boy: Team to smoke at an carly age and grow up in an atmosphere where they] hear gross words and learn to ase them in their ordinary conversation. Coming cut of Fotels or restaurants the better. class residents are con-Jstantly met by this class, who first beg for'a copper. and then grossly insult the person' to whom he plies, if money is not fortheamts Behind these begging children are often. burly men, who would" not hesitate to injure persons not giving! donations, provided that they can chance' in a side street. If the Russian Emigrant Bureau can do anying to Improve the state of tis! class of Russians, they will be doing something for which they will ceive the earliest support of those who are better off.
Pxploiters of Children There are certain men who exploit children for the collection of money fon the streets, standing watching from a selected spot {o make sure that every copper the child receives handed over. Often these men can be seen deliberately beating the child If the amount brought is too small. The press of the town reler to these Jmen and the authorities on more than one ceeasion having made a round up and arrested a few, but they soon appear again to start their nefarious work.
The Manchoukuo Government, having received reports of the awful condition of the poor" Russians of Harbin, decided to allot a larger sum for the alleviation of their needs, and to give all possible assistance to th Russian benevolent organizations which are doing good work. here.
Amongst these is one, the "Foreign Association for Russian Relief which provides free dinners" to the meat deserving. At one time this associa-ion had considerable money donated to it and was able to feed several hundreds during the winter montes, but now there is not the same amount available and the number has had {o be limited to 150. There are unfortunately some British and -American residents who are in dire straits and it behoves the foreign colony to look after iis own nationals firs especially as the Russians now have! their own organization, Death of Simon Kabalkin 'After about ten days' fiiness, Mr. Simon Kabalkin, assistant manage? of the Anglo-Cinese Eastern Trading Ca., Lid, away on December 20° and" his funeral tock place from his own house in the Pristan Jarea, Owing to the cold very few People followed the body to the. cemetery, but there were very many. fat the house. An entire truck draped.
black, carried the wreaths of which there were many from or-Kanizations. firms and friends." The late Mr. Kabalkin bad faithfully ang loyally weeked for 21 years for tha great "British firm which has had much to do with tke development of the been trade in Manchoukuo. owns a large bean crushing mill and makes salad all.
Maj-Gen. Tirbak Murdered sensation was caused last_week by the murder of Maj. Gen. Tirbak, '2 Russian officer belonging to, Atamar\ Semenof's army, aged 43, who came Harbin about a year ago. ant Joined the Military Party of the Rus:
an, Emigrant Bureau. "He was sent the district which is generally known as Three Rivers Seltlement fo attend 10 the interests of the Russian emigrants there and very: ttle was heard of him in this city, [but his murder drew attention 19) his existence, especially when it was learned that te had been killed by rifle bullet, which entered is head! just below the left ear. Owing to the Intense cold and the distance from Harbin, the body was only brought here last week.
'A number of his officer comrades were at the station to meet the body which was ina coffin covered with tarpaulin and the Russian "tel-Goloured flag spread over the top. The officers carried the eoflin 10 walting hearse and then followed this to the Iversky Church. Here the wrappings were taken off and on arrival of the mother and wife, the coffin lid was lifted off for them to see the face of their son and husband.
Tt was only yesterday learned that jen. Tirbak was a British subject, having taken out naturalization papers in Australia in 1930. Thoug™, he came to Harbin a year ago, he did not register at the British Con-lhave them in London late and therefore the British Christmas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.