In spite of the price of rice being on the decrease, many in the labouring classes still declare they are suffering and ate demanding increased pay, otherwise—they; threaten to strike.
Last week some 100,400 piculs of rice were important into Shanghai as well as some 40,000 piculs of wheat and beans. Of the former not less than one' quarter has been purchased by the, Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company for cheap sale. With these arrivals the price has gone down} to $10 a picul, or even less.
The iron workers threaten to strike unless their demands for a raise in salary are granted. And the workers in the Pootung Dock demand seven cents a day instead of; the five which has been offered' them. It is understood that the! Company is willing to comply with! the demands of the men; half the! money will be used to buy them! food and the other half will be! given them.
A rice boat came to Shanghai'
Friday and reported it had been robbed of all stock, amounting in all to 130 piculs, near Pootung. In view of this, the City Magistrate has given orders to the various, gunboats strictly to enforce his recent order which affords protection to the ships.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.