Ma P'ei-yao, the new Governor of Kuang-ai, submits a scheme which he and the late Governor, Shen Ping-ch'én, devised for improving the moral and material condi.
of the people of the province. Ku: was in former days celebrated for its literary talents and one of the distinguished men whom it produced did much towards making book knowledge accessible to all classes of the community. Then followed the general destruction of literature of all kinds during the rebellion, and ever since the people have been dependent upon books printed in small and blurred type. The best method of improving the morality of a community is to cultivate their literary taste; and to do this a large command of books is an absolute necessity. Fine editions of the classics and other works have been produced in the neighbouring proviuices, and the Governor proposes to use these as models and set up print establishments in Kueilin, Wuchou, Nanning, and a few other cities. The production of silk appears from the ancient record to have been an industry in the province from the earliest times, especially in Jung Haien, where weaving was practised in the 'T'ang' dynasty. About twenty years ago the magistrate of the district revived the industry with such success that there is now' yearly production of about 25,000 catties of silk, Last year an office was opened in the provincial capital for_encouraging the rearing of silk worms; and the cultivation of the mulberry and the institu-
dicted, give " great stimulus to the industion of spinning factories will, it is try, which has already attained considerable The Governor, when magistrate helion in Shansi, introduced the silk industry there, and he will now be in ion to utilise the experience he then acquired. Branch offices have been established at various centres and three or four Cantonese instructors have been stationed in each to teach the country people the art of weaving.—Approved by ascript.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.