Serious Crime—This includes the murder of Korean and a Chine Constable and the—_attempte murder of a Chinese chauffeur, who were fired at by armed assassins on February 1 in different parts of the Settlement; the death coolie who was attacked by a gang, some of whom were armed with axes, at house on Yangtszepoo Road on February 17, and the death of a Japanese' who was assaulted by strikers at a cotton mill_in the Yangtszepoo District on February 27 and subsequently diced from his injuries. Two Koreans arrested in the first mentioned ease, six Chinese in the second and one Chinese in the third were under remand at the end of the month, One man charged with arson at a shop Avenue Road on February 18 was sentenced to ten years' imprison= ment.
Two men on remand at the end of January charged with the murder of a coolie, who was. shot dead by armed" robbers in the Garden Road District on January 12, were found guilty and sentenced to'death, In connexion with the murder of a Chinese who: was a tacked with knives and axes in the Wayside District on November 10, 1925, one man was arrested on February 21 and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.
Robbery Thirty reports armed robbery from premises and 11 on the highway were received during the month. Shots were fired by the robbers in nine instances, resulting in the wounding of to Chinese, In connexion with the foregoing and reports of armed robberies received prior to February 1, fifteen persons, one of whom was in possession of a loaded pistol, were arrested und sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from one to ten years. Four men, one of whom was in possession of loaded pistol, were arrested for being members' of an armed robber sung and were on remand at the end of the month. Of eighteen men remand at the end of January charged with armed robbery, four were sentenced to death, twelve to imprisonment and one to expulsion while one wag' released on bond.
Three reports of robbery which no arms were used were also received, one being from premises and two on the highway.
Property Stolen,—469 reports mate under this heading during the month represent un estimated: loss of $126,000 and include 27 eases of burglary, 4 of house-breaking, 6 of godown-breaking and 14 of shop and office-breaking.—Suecessfui investigation was made in 149 cases, resulting in the recovery of property valued at $25,187, in addition to which recoveries to the extent of $26,448 were made connexion with reports received prior to February 1, Successful Tesults were also" obtained in 21 cases reported as having occurred out of Settlement limita and one case where the property was reported as lost.
Armed Abduction-—~On February the compradore of a cotton mill was forcibly abducted by an armed gang on Myburgh Road with the sid of a hired motor ear. An attempt was also made at the same time to abduct a relative of the ¢ompradore who managed to escape Dut in doing so wag fired at and wounded. 'The chauffeur of the ear 5s' also Believed to be held by the Kidnappers. An attempt was made Sif" the? Yangtseepoo District tion and holding to ransom, two were sentenced to death, six were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 15 to $ years, three were expelled and one was released bond.
Threatening—Lettert,—Four Chinese arrested during the month on charge of demanding money by means of threatening letters were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from seven years te nine months.
Trafficking in Firearms—One ier and seven Chinese were arrested during the month for trafficking in firearms, when eight pistols and over 1,400 rounds of} ammunition were seized, Seven were sentenced to imprisonment whilst the charge against one was issed. A man on remand on this charge at the end of January was sentenced to imprisonment. One Chinese was arrested for Doing in possession of firearms for an unlawful purpose and sentenced to imprisonment. One of men on remand at the end January was sentenced to imprisonment. The case against the other seven has not yet concluded.
Crime beyond Setdlement limits Two eases of armed abduction and nine of armed robbery and piracy were reported during the month having occurred in territory under Chinese jurisdiction in the neighbourhood "of Shanghai. tone instance " policeman dead and a pedestrian wonns fleeing, robbers.
Exzecutions-—Two Chinese, one of whom was charged with murder committed in 1823 and both with med robbery.in the Settlement in 1824, wore executed on February, 17 by the local Chinese Authorities. 'A detective of the former Military Governor's Yamen was executed on February 12 for being concerned fu 4 esse of armed abduction which took place in the French Conees-
Military Matte transfer of the the carly part of February from the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce to the Local military, th works re-opened after the Chinese New Year holidays. Some two hundred mechanics were engaged, but this number was increased to boat a thousand at the end of the month.
Agitation against Chinese Aue thories-—Tobacconists in Chinese territory have renewed their appeal for the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce in resisting the can-collation by the Chineve Authorities of the 50 per cent. rebate allowed in the levy on cigarettes. The collection of this tax is however being enforced on the baris of the new rate, and the sale of cigarettes, which the affected traders suspen: ed February 1, was partly resumed on Februsty 17. Further dissatis faction with the Chines Author developed later report shal Sun Chuan-Febru: connexion with a
fang had decided to assume control of the Chapel Municipality. In consequence of opposition raised by the merchants and gentry of Chapei, this change has not yet been put into effect.
Apart. from protests by the mercantile classes against measures affecting their interests, labour and. student agitators, ' claiming authority to speak on behalf of the working classes, also persisted during the month in their endeavours to discredit the Chinese Authorities. Speakers at gatherings organised by them urged the overthrow of all militarists, inclading local officials who were declaim-tools of imperialism. these meetings resolutions were passed requesting the abrogation of the Police Regulations. was argued that these statutes were inconsistent with Republican freedom and should suffer the fate of the Publication Laws which were cancelled in January, 1926, Measures against Extremist Activitice.—Local extremists suffer= ed a severe reverse on February 23, when. the -Municipal- Police Fresh evidence also became manifest during the month of a desire on the part of local Chinese officials to combat the subversive _propaganda. The Shanghai Book Store, situated on the Chinese side of the Boulevard. des Deux Re-
Publiques, which had become notorious s a mart for the sale of Communist literature, was sealed up on February 3. An' announcement was made about the same time by the Chinese Authorities that landlords would be held responsible the event of Communist. bases being discovered on their property. This order further stated that schools serving as meeting places and propaganda centres would be sealed up their owners severely "dealt with announcement was reinforced by a Proclamation condemning the distribution of leaflets advocating the imperialism and the formation of Dare-to-Die and Hero Corps.
efforts in the same direction included the formation of two new anti-Bolshev Is. 6.70 at 71.20)
Bank's Demand Selling Rate for G.3100 at 72h-=-Tls. 137.69 at 71.20 $193.38 Chinese Dolars, market rate 71: Native Interest Copper Cash Bar ver rate bf Discount 4 per cent, w York on London—-G.$4.86 4
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.