Former Office of Customs Superintendent Occupied All Occupants Driven Out Following a visit to the former Customs Superintendent's Office in Sinza Road, near Ferry Road, on Monday afternoon by a party led by three Japanese in uniform, two notices in Chinese were posted outside the building which read: "Salt Gabelle for Kiangsu, Chekiang and Anhwei" and the "Office of the Director of the Salt Gabelle in Sunkiang."
The visit, which was second in a week according to a Chinese report, resulted in the ejection of scores of Chinese from the building. They were formerly employed on board Customs vessels and had been temporarily quartered there after their vessels had been seized by the Japanese.
In addition to the three Japanese in uniform, the party consisted of ten Chinese in long gowns and two Japanese in civilian Chinese were dai ned to be members of the-Way" City Government of Shanghai. They were armed with revolvers.
The prem at the time of the visit were in the charge of two Customs officers. A foreign Customs officer who went to the place shortly after the Japanese had entered the building at 230 p.m., was ordered at the point of a pistol to remain inside. He was not allowed to communicate with anybody by telephone.
All those in the building were Ordered by the Japanese party to leave the premises before 3.30 p.m. Not until then was the foreigner allowed to use the telephone. Trucks were then called to convey all those inside to the Bund.
The two notices in Chinese were posted on the gate by the Japanese party before they left the building.
The property is reported to be owned by British interests.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.