Turning my remarks to trade in general, there is no doubt that the: slightest sign of tranquility in the interior brings with it an improve-went_in demand for imports and, provided the merchants and farmers: are left in peace, we may see a great. improvement in 1929, in spite of the large importations' having been fanded before the now tariff was Fut on. With regard to exports, the position is not 30 satisfactory, Crops have not been good and, naturally, native consumption requires its fill before exports can Dogin; besides which, prices abroad Froduetion of those current in the terior.
The two big factors that militate against trade in China are poor and expensive transportation and ternal taxation, likin now goes under another name, but is just as: effective in strangling commerce as before and the nont de plume of consumption tax" illustrates a futile desire to hoodwink us into) believing that a drastic reformation hboen made in the old method of taxation, The new duties that came into torve on February 1 do not seem to. have done any harm to the import trade, but naturally the large influx coming in to avoid the higher rates will reflect for the time - being 07 future business, It is well to bear ind that fluctuations in exchange fare much more serious to the imorter than fnereased duties, as long, the Intter axe weasonable, and think the Chinese merchants are now strong enough to put a brake fon excessive duties that will in the end affect them more than anyone.
The Japanese boycott continues to a serious hindrance to the trade of that country with China, and the.{¥ecent removal of a lighter from the harbour limits, containing goods! in the custody of a foreign firm here ud up to date not returned, is aa itlusteation of the situation, It points cither to the powerless state of the Government or to thole connivance in the act. In either ease, this position would not be allowed or tolerated in any other civilized country, The Defence Forces 1 would like to repeat what I said last year regarding the various Defence Fores, namely, I voice the ape Stole! "Counisls upioldant ior ihe fouinon, Clements of Justice, such "as Tivtding Over of their Chinese jurisdiction shout sei be "on 'Thae the charges alleged use Loo: Hsingevuan, besides being trut ery in' themselves, -appeat from Provisional Court records to be quite Without "foundation; (2)" that "special chinery eas, neat" for the me ease in order to present. fiction. of legal procedure; "und. "(3) Ut" Judge ""Loo's principal " neons Wis included inthe Diseiplinary: Conte which was to try one Chinese "eifcial" against ethos "HU i nut 4 question of upholding Chinese ofietats, ut wt the utter int Ferenes for justice shown by Chinese Politicians when they have a particular ig views f swoull, therefore, ask Sou way before sour Consal Fepresentative the urgent necessity of Government with
foreign con fate and the Imunities wil! be exposed if, within any ghen'up tothe dangerous merees of dneastrable number of yeainy they wip
Chinese juredietion?" "ita Chinese of {he sian dine of the President of the Provisional Gourt'ean be thus treated, what must be the fate of foreigners Tt requires no further eomiment on miy part than to say that the present Provisional Court is not a fit one igs of all those engaged in
Chinese, that any further re-here, both foreign and ection of the Defence Force be a serian blow to the santos ignores confidence that is now returning to which is reflected in th! proving trade of the port. Since aid that, there has been a conwrable reduction, hut I hope forces a+ now constituted will not be further reduced and that they will remain with us for as long 9 time as necessary and T would ike congratulate those in command on the splendid moral and discipline maintained.
Tu wri to the Shanghai Muni cipal Couneit suggesting the abolition of the Orchestra, Chamber felt thes: were opinion of the majority the and made no excuse for perhaps departing from the usual routine, and I can only emphasize that it is hardly fair that the many should have to pay for the amusoment of the few, especially when the money can be used by the Council for much better purposes in other direetions, Customs Duties Iam indebted to the Inspector-General of the Customs for the following figures of duty paid for
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.