At the beginning of the period under review it appeared that there was some justification in expecting a better year's trading than was experienced during 1924. The horizon was comparatively clear; the political situation was better than it had been for some time ast and the country was bare of stocks of manufactured cods.
Our optimism, unfortunately, was: short-lived. In' the North" and South dark clouds began to gather and a famine in Szechuan interfered with the off-take of our yarns; then came the incident of May 30 in Shanghai, followed Inter by the strike and boycott, and civil warfare in. the neighbouring provinees and the North during the late summer and autumn.
Due entirely to intimidation from without the Yangtszepoo Mills closed down on June 2, while the following day the Ewo' Mills also hycame idle. Kung Yik Milly continued to work until the middle of thi.t month when the workers joi ed the other strikers, It is satisfactory to record that! throughout the troubles. practically damage to our property was in-
T should like you to know that! this was the first serious strike recorded at any of our mills, clear-showing that our workpeople Ihave been accorded fair treatment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.