The past month has been full of local interest in the way of anniversaries, welcoming visiting friends and speeding old friends who are leaving. Independence Day proved
Governor announced a ten days' the bane attraction, as the celebration. He opened the ball himself by inviting 90 guests, "hinese and foreign, to his new yamen for dinner and treated his guests to one of the most superb firework demonstrations that has taken place here. This and kindred functions, the first three days of the celebration, cost, we are Told, the sum of $30,000, and we can quite believe the estimate is somewhere near -the truth by the decorations, programme and feasts that were the order of the day. The four big city arcades took advantage of the holidays and with judicious advertising and attractive decorations drew big crowds and [business was good. Large shipjmemts of foreign goods have recently come through, Japanese goods predominating, showing that the strong feeling against Japan has gradually subsided.
Trafalgar Day, October 21, was celebrated by the British community at the Canadian School. The children contributed to the programme, but the principal item was a stirring address H.B.M. Consul-General on "Our Navy." At the close, the boys and girls made a presentation address to Mr. Hew-Jett, thanking him for all the good times he had given them in his six years of service here. On the came day the annual meeting of the Overseas League was held, reports being given and officers: elected for the ensuing year. The day's programme was held under tke auspices of the Overseas League.
The Methodist Episcopal Church have been holding their annual conference. Bishop Keeney and Dr. Chen Wei-pin came from the coast to assist in the conference.
Not only have they helped in the conference, but they have both filled a long list of lecture engagements that would have worn out some younger men. Dr. Chen visited Jhere some years ago with the Blackstone party, so was well known. He was very popular here attracting large crowds to hear his addresses. On three evenings in the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium he aa-dressed more than 5, C00 different students irom Government Middle schools and college grades. Both he and the Bishop gave courses of addresses to the students of the Union University that were much appreciated. Dr. Chen addressed both Chinese and foreign audiences. He is staying a couple of months in the province, and is now. touring several districts in the interests of evangelism with the Provincial General Secretary, Mr. Hbwry "J: Openshaw.
Armistice Day in Chengtu was a day to be remembered. The Allied Military Service Association of West China arranged a programme for the day. The celebration took place at the French Consulate, where Mr. and Mme. Baudez made an ideal host and hostess. Six of the Allied nations were represented. The Allied flags hung everywhere. The Governor's brass band was in attendance and discoursed the various national airs and modern tunes. Captain A. J. Brace, the chairman, introduced one after another of the Allied representatives, and all spoke briefly of their national ideals for international unity and goodwill. Alphabetically the speeches were as follows:—The Governor's representative spoke for China, M. Baudez for France, Mr, L. King for Great Britain, Mr. A. Ortolani for Italy, Mr. K, Kunihara for Japan, and Mr. H. J. Openshaw for the U.S.A. It was a great occasion to have so many of the Allied countries, united in the recent Great War, united in peace and doing their best to cultivate international feeling and fel-Jowship in this western part of China.
The Military Council of Szechuan Generals has just closed after sitting for two weeks. It is reported that nothing noteworthy was accomplished. A civil officials meeting is now in progress. Our "nabobs" have are evidently of the opinion that conferences now are fashionable.
Tur Societe Francaise de Gerance de la Banque Industrielle de Chine has removed its shutters and raised some of its blinds in the Banque Industrielle premises at Tientsin, says the "N.C. Daily Mail." This, however, should not be taken necessarily as a sign of immediate reopening, but simply that the name of the Societe de Gerance may. be lettered on the windows. M. Gau-their and a smal) staff are at work within, but behind closed doors. An announcement will be made in due course as to. the reopening. Nothing definite can be stated at present. We may perhaps expect to see the doors open-before China New Year, but this is merely our own speculation. At Saigon and elsewhere in French Indo-China the bank is in operation, but in north China the preliminaries are necessarily more protracted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.