From the South China Morning Post this week in: 1948
Writing in the Straits Times - and reprinted in the Post - journalist J.C. Belhargue labelled Hong Kong a 'spiv's paradise' with a 'terrible air of apathy'.
'I arrived in Hong Kong unprepared for the cold that seemed to permeate the very thickest of borrowed overcoats, the embarrassing cordiality of the few, the rank bad manners of the mass of the people and the terrible air of apathy that seemed to hang over the colony.'
He went on to note that Singaporeans were much better-mannered than their HK counterparts. 'Ferry passengers astonished me with their acrobatic antics in forcing themselves to the head of queues ... Women were particularly bad-mannered, using elbows and feet to gain first place.' Belhargue did have some praise for the city though: 'Life is gay in Hong Kong. There is plenty of money in circulation and the cost of living is extremely low.' He also noted its natural beauty, tall, modern buildings and 'teeming waterfront'. His last words though were: 'I still haven't solved why such a beautiful city could breed such ill-mannered and apathetic people.'
Under the headline 'Reds launch offensive', the Post carried a report on China's civil war. Communist forces were reported to have launched an offensive on all Nationalist bridgeheads on the north bank of the Yangtze to force the Nationalists into surrender and in 'a determined effort to occupy Nanking and Shanghai as bases for a nationwide manhunt for war criminals' - including Chiang Kai-shek.
Nationalist leaders were reportedly extremely pessimistic about the chances for peace in the face of new communist demands, which included that talks should be held simultaneously while their troops crossed the Yangtse. The offensive followed a personal telegram to Mao Zedong from acting president Li Tsung-jen expressing his willingness to be 'burned in oil or dismembered as a war criminal if it would hasten peace'.