An Imperial Decree notices the long prevalence of severe distress caused by natural calamities in Shantung. Last year the Governor obtained permission to retain in the province fifty thousand taels which ought to have been sent to Peking. This year, at his request, in addition to fifty thousand taels taken from the provincial exchequer, the Board of Revenue at Peking has provided a hundred thousand taels from other sources for the relief of the suffering poor, But, besides this, the The Viceroy at Canton reports that the Into acting Magistrate at Hsi-ning has failed to hand over a sum of Tls. 4,600, for which he is responsible. The Viceroy therefore proposes that the defaulting officer shall be deprived of his button and given four months in which to make good thi money. If he fails to do 0 within time, his property will be attached, and if not enough, his superiors will be called upon to make up the deticiency.—Approved.
the Governor of Shansi states that, the former Magistrate of T'ien-chen Hsien, who vacated his post on account of mourn: ing, was found to be indebted to the Government in the sum of Tis, 887. As frequent demands for the money only resulted in his producing Tls. 48, he was cashiered and arrested, and his property was ordered to be seized. He has since then made good the whole sum owed by him. As it appeara that the money was originally expended by him in the public service and not wrongfully appropriated, and as the sum waa Jess than five thousand taels, and was refunded within the year, it is requested, in accordance with the regulations in force, that he may be reinstated: in his former rank.—Approved.
4th May.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.