Nanking, Feb. 16.
Many casualties have occurred as the result of an explosion at the Changhsing colliery, in Chekiang, according to belated reports received hhere to-day.
The colliery is reputed to be one of the largest Chinese-operated coal mines. Tt employs approximately 3,000 workers and has a ly out put of 600 ons.—Reuter, The Polica have designated certain the reclamation area at Wanchai for the annual bazaar for the sale of goods and flowers for New Year celebrations, There will be some shopping among the Chinese, and a street will meet this want and give the hawkers a chance to make some money before the end of the year. As usual, the Police Iso fix the days when crackers can be fired, but there will not be as many fireworks this year, owing to business depression, The Trade Slump The full force of the trade slump has hit Hongkong, with the rewu that most business is bad, The value Of real estate has gone down. As the supply of houses has exceeded the demand, it is hard to secure tenants nowadays, and many new modern houses located in good sur. secking. a site for the projected cen tral machine shoo, The original site at Chaohsiachich, near Nanking, has been abandoned as unsntisfaccory,—Reul roundings are left unoccupied, Rent collectors have a hard time collecting dues from the tenants, and in some eases there are arrears of two three months, In past years, bad business in Hongkong was duo to political insecurity and troubles in Canton, but the present trade slump is a re sult of world-wide causes. If the international market improves, trade Prospects will be better. There is consensus of opinion. among locat merchants that trade in other parts.
the world is much worse than that of this Colony, and therefore, there is gonnd for optimism for the immediate fature,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.