Increase During Hard Times And Drought Pnont Our OWwN ConusrONDEN?
Sukao, Ku, June 1 This hsien has an extensive seacoast along, which pirates have for years established themselves. The sea is their home and they collect taxes from fishermen for the right to carry on fishing in their domain. When aking 18 poor and these pirates col-leet but little, frequent attacks are made upon the farmers and wealthy people in the seaside villages and Towns. Almost weekly some pirates disturb the peace of those along the const.
"At present robbers seem more abundant along the northern border fof Kiangsu than in the Jukao hsien. During the harvest time all available help can be used and there is less want, Especially this year a bumper wheat crop was gathered. At present, however, a serious drought exists, The canals are empty. Unless rains soon come the rice crop will be a failure, The result may also be that robbers will again increase. Instead fof rice, farmers are raising more often and soya beans due to the rainfall. scarcity.
Considerable pressure was brought of late to opium suppression. Our elghbourhood seems to be a centre of opium trade. Many users and sel-Jers of opium have been imprisoned by the authorities. Repeatedly such periods of opium suppression come Along each of which is followed, it seems, 1 a still greater use of the drug tha before.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.