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SCMP Reporter

15 September 1946 Paradoxically, corruption is the result of empalming.

* * * Somehow the rice/flour explanation sounds like Marie Antoinette.

 * * * 'Morocco for the Moors' is the slogan at Tangier. It used to be the slogan in Spain.

 * * * A lack of ships is delaying immigration to Australia. Also emigration from.

 * * * The Colony's trade for August showed a decline. The customers declined to pay fancy prices.

 * * * The Chinese Government is protesting at the smuggling of goods through Hong Kong. But, after all, there are two sides to the border.

 * * * Shares on the New York stock market fell $9,300,000,000 in six days. Fortunately there's no Ice House Street building that high.

 * * * Despite the rain, the water was turned off according to schedule. But if it rains too much we can always raise the dam a bit higher.

 * * * 'With a pair of pliers and a few feet of wire he can build a wireless set.' We need a feller who, with mud and old newspapers, can build a house.

 * * * The Chinese Government has selected Nanking as the World's Mathematical Centre. We may now hope to discover just how much the Chinese dollar is worth. * * * CLOSURE ORDER First action taken for excess charges City shop pays heavily for profiteering MANY STORES FINED The first closure order for profiteering was made by Mr She at Central yesterday when he fined Leon Store $1,050 and closed it for a month.

  The store, at 4, Stanley Street, was summoned for selling a one pound tin of Nestle's cocoa at $3.50 (controlled price $1.55) and for having no price tag.

  Inspector Nolloth said the shop was fined $850 in August for overcharging on butter.

  The Sun Company Ltd, 181, Des Voeux Road Central, was fined $500 for selling Wright's Coal Tar Soap for $2.50 (controlled price 75 cents). Inspector Nolloth said the sale arose out of a misunderstanding and the company had always co-operated with the Government.

  The company's representative pleaded the offence was unintentional as owing to holidays and busy hours the fokis was not informed of the ceiling price of that brand.

  Mr She said he took a much more serious view as he expected such a large company to set an example.

  For selling the same brand of soap at $5, a smaller establishment the Luen Hing Co, 41, Queen's Road Central, was fined $300.

 * * * CLAIM FOR LOOT Doctor seeks to regain his furniture used by Japanese during occupation Supreme court suit In the first case of its kind, Dr Harry Talbot yesterday pressed in the Supreme Court his claim to ownership of five pieces of furniture which passed into Japanese hands after the occupation and were sold to Mrs Lam, 1A Wongneichong Road, by a furniture dealer.

  The Puisne Judge (Mr Justice Williams) reserved judgment.

  Dr Talbot had earlier taken proceedings in a police court, but the magistrate held he had no jurisdiction.

  Mr H. J. Armstrong, of Deacons, represented Dr Talbot and Mr d'Almada Remedios appeared for Mrs Lam.

  The articles claimed by Dr Talbot are a dressing table with large mirror, stool to match, chest of drawers, standard lamp and occasional table.

  Mr Armstrong said that prior to the war Dr Talbot lived at 12, Bowen Road. After the outbreak, his house was occupied by a Japanese until he moved to a house in Happy Valley, taking most of the furniture with him. Dr Talbot recovered part of the furniture and, as a result of inquiries from a Mrs Cheng, went to 1A Wongneichong Road where he saw Mrs Lam and identified other pieces of furniture.

  Mrs Lam was quite friendly and seemed perfectly willing to hand it back to him if he could produce authority in writing, said Mr Armstrong.

  Dr Talbot, however, was unable to get authority from the Custodian of Property, who seemed unwilling to take part in the matter.

  There was no dispute as to his client's claim to the furniture, Mr Armstrong added. The only question was the circumstance which surrounded the sale to Mrs Lam.

 * * * HIROHITO SHIELDED Tojo and gang rather die than implicate emperor Information concealed Tokyo, September 18 (UP) - Most of the 27 top war defendants, including former Premier Hideki Tojo, had already told their attorneys they would rather die than implicate Hirohito in possible war guilt, United Press learned today.

  For later representation to the Tribunal some of the defendants are preparing statements in their own defence, and some of these statements began with memoranda which in effect declared that 'nothing must be done in my defence which would reflect upon the Emperor'.

  It is not known whether any have deliberately withheld information from their attorneys in an attempt to shield Hirohito. However, the attorneys have complained privately that their clients appear to be deliberately concealing information needed for their proper defence.

  The defence today vigorously contested the authenticity of purported Japanese government documents which the prosecution produced in order to demonstrate the extent of the Japanese army's atrocities against Allied war prisoners.

  The defence tried to show the documents were faked by Japanese officers connected with the atrocities in an effort to shift the blame to the Tokyo High Command, which included many of the defendants.

  Fifty years ago, Hong Kong was returning to normal after Japanese Occupation. These clippings from the South China Morning Post reflect feelings at the time.



South China Morning Post and The Hongkong Telegraph