Mr. Soong Outlines Plans for Rural Rehabilitation Sian, Apr. 28.
Outlining the plans of the National Economic Council for the development of the North-west, in an address ata mass meeting here, Mr. T. Soong, member of the Standing Com= mittee "who ison a tour of the North-west, said that the programme [of the Council included Teeonstruc~ tion along the following lines, name 23, water' conservancy; development of the system of communications; re-nobilitation of the rural districts, and promotion of public health.
Mr. Soong began by stating that he had come to Sian for the specific purpose of gathering data regarding the economic situation in the North= west, on behalf of the National Economic' Council. He expressed his pleasure at the remarkable progress and improvement already achieved in Shensi under the able direction of Mr. Shao Li-tzu, Chairman of the Shensi Provincial Government, and General Yang Hu-cheng. Directo: of the Sian Pacification "Teadquarter.
Peace and order are now. well maintained li Shensi, he said, and this has led various banking inter-sts to invest in the North-west and ce-operate in the work of reconstruc~ 'ion in this part of the country.
Due to financial limitations and the jects for the North-west, the NEC. tention and energy, for the time being, on four things, namely, development of water" conservancy, promotion of communication facili: fies: rural rehabilitation, and pro. motion of public health.
With regard to the work of water conservancy in the North-west, Br. Soong deplored the fact that due to the series of political disturbances that have beset the establishment of the republic, little attention has been paid to this' important problem, with the result that the North-west has. suffered repeatedly from ther flood oF drought.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.