Taichow, Che., Feb, 7, 1980.
China New Year was kept as usual here, except that the officials allowed no gambling. On January, 29 the day before. China. New Year the officials Sent a man through the streets of the city, beating a gong and telling the people tat China is new keeping the solar year, and therefore the following day was not New Year's day, but the 80th of the first month. Moreover, he announced that no gambling would be allowed, neither would any one be allowed to smoke opium, Those found committing: either of these offences would be put in pris son. Consequently, the three fol. Jewing days, which are generally given up entirely to gambling, were spent out of doors or calling on friends and relatives The weather was fine and con tinued so for four days, but there was another fall of snow Inst night and this morning. Yesterday, being the eighth day after the New Year, according to custom, thousands of pilgrims carrying lanterns began to stream into the city carly in the morning before it was light, and continued coming until midday to visit the temples and to beseech the idols to give good harvest this year, The local committee that formed to distribute the money sent by the Famine Relief Committee got to work as soon as possible and distributed to the city people on January 29, using one of the temples as a centre for distribution, Those who had been given ticket received either $1 or 50 cents. When the doors were opened the crush was so great that two children standing in front were knocked down and would have been trample ed to death, but fortunately one of the Committee, seeing them, shouldered the crowd and saved the children, The Committee is now arranging for similar distribution in the country. This week one of the committee called on the waalthfest pawnbroker in the city and found his shop stocked with bedding and clothes that the poor People have had to pawn because The pawnbroker id that ho had never 90 many winter garments and bedding in pawn before at this time of the year,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.