Western Shanghai, in demanding that the lottery bu: hai be abolished, hi following petition to the Chief of Native Police:
"Though the lottery business has been. prohibited by law, there are a dozen or more houses maintained in the French Concession and in the Chinese City masquerading under the guise of "relief," "charity," "benevolence," ete., and ling so-called bonds, which are in reality lottery tickets.
"As the people are so rash their money and as they are being deceived in such a manner, we mor-chants cannot but help lodging a protest.
"These so-called reward bonds are similar to the lottery tickets of the former Tsing Dynasty, and are recognized as a medium for gambling. The practice is prohibited in our Provisional Criminal Code, but still it goes on.
"Since the famine, the organizations have been isting bonds in the name famine relief which is in itself illegal. Though it is illegal, the sufferers in the North reap a little benefit, but the losers here are the real sufferers since it is in Shanghai that the tickets are issued.
"Instead of forbidding this practice, the local authorities are backing up the places and are offering them every aid and protection. This is simply ridiculous and-is a disgrace to our country. We are being made a laughing stock of by the foreigners.
"Can you not do something to avoid this? If you can, we shall be ever grateful."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.