Strong Protest to Assembly From Our Own Correspondent Hangchow, June 17.
The petition over lotteries preserfted to the Provincial Assembly' yesterday by Pastor Dzen Dah-san appears in full in the native Press. Introduced by Zun Sin-peh, Mr. Dzen presented his statement in a way that we trust will result in prompt action on the part of the Assembly in this serious matter. The petition sets forth how the Union Evangelistic Committee of this dity, having seen the rapidity with which this iniquitous system of raising money is growing, have made a survey of which the petition is @ summary.
Not only is the money much needed in our province, being poured out of it to prize-winners from other parts of tthe country, but the poorer classes are being steadily brought to beggary. The pressure liding brought to bear on them by sellers of lottery-tickets is incredible except to those who go thoroughly into the matter.
The Minister, Chang Chihdtung, had such a storm raised against him on his suggesting this way of raising funds that he was obliged to withdraw His measure. And, this in the Manchu dynasty! How much more in a republic where the people are the people's guardians of morals and money no uncertain tone the petition thus goes on to beg that the oatter be taken up in earnest, so that now, again, the system may be made illegal.
A compliment has been paid to the Y¥. M. G. A. architect (Mr. Creighton) by the Educaltional Association who have asked that the plans be allowed to be copied by them in the reconstruction. of their lately semi-demolished building.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.