Yo the Editor of the "Nowr-Cuua Dat News"
Sin—On July 3 there was a fire in aw film studio at Kiangwan. The Chinese Authorities, by. thole une formed Police, pounced on the For-wager, who was early. on roughly handled him' (£01 what reason'), "and detained hin nder aryest from shortly afte on to 9 pam, (again for what yeason'). The" only information hey required of him was his age.
rate it will soon be neces: way for a British subject proceed:
if outside the settlements. to call upon his "Consul to provide suit. able escort, ry oF aval, see-2 ing that this kind of thing is Dorely indulged in when they' know very well the nationality of thei 'The Chinese assistant, in spite of all efforts to have him freed (What) Was "his offence?) was detained tit he would agree to deliver a op xuarantep bond, to deposit th insurance polley, and to give a undertaking to contribute \10_ per' cent. of the insured amount to the! Chapei Five Department (sie). In any other country but China' this! would provide a cause célabre, a scandal of the first water; but T have looked in vain for any com-rent oF news further than the first reports about, the incident which appeared in the press. Incidental ly, our own Fire Brigade might take the hint. submit that, if any law has been promulgated so absurd as to. give the Municipal or Police authorities the right to collect a sul stantial portion of the insurance {n-coco of fire, the, public should be: informed. What do the Insurance: Companies think of this latest stunt? And. who is responsible for it? Would it not bring plenty of grist to' the mill to have as many fires as. possible", Arson? Perish the thought! uatorured "What happens in their Many property © owners ave cate? Do they have to stump out: 10 per cent, or so of the value of their' property, which, has _already been destroyed? Or do they go to gaol until they pay up?
trust that whoever is concerned will forthwith take the public into their confidence and give us the truth la this matter, "Tam perfectly willing, to believe that the whole matter has been "mis-report ed", but—I come from Missouri.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.