Authorities Still Taking Precautionary Measures The rice question Has again come to the-fore in Chinese official circles the authorities all having issued proclamations forbidding merchants} to hoard the grain for export] (srithout authority) or for higher prices.
The price is going down but still the merchants are alarmed lest there should be insufficient stocks arriving to meet public requirements, The best grain yesterday was selling at $13, and $10.50 w: asked for for the inferior grades. this price is considered too high, 80 the merchants have asked the authorities to limit the price of the grain, The farmers are extremely happy over the prospects of record crops, for has the snow not fallen twice? They are looking forward not only to the records but to the better returns brought in.
It is reported that some 6,000 piculs are on their way here that about 400 piculs have already arrived, but even this is by no} means ' sufficient to meet require-
Governor of Kiangsu has issued a proclamation tioned and the Shanghai District Magistrate's order reads as fol In spite of repeated orders forbidding the exportation of rice, the evil practice is still being carried on and the price of rice soars daily, It is evident that there are some unéerupulous and wicked merchants secretly hoarding the grain and smuggling it out of the port in large quantities in order to make] enormous profits thereby.
"Marshal Chi Hsieh-yua former Tuchun, has issued a set of six regulations governing the export of rice which have successfully been enforced and I see no reason why they should not again be put into] practice, These regulations are:—
That anybody who detects, others exporting rice without. authority] shall report the same to the authorities who shall seize such shipments; That all seized rice shall be confiscated. If it is under 100] piculs, 50 piculs shall go to the poor and if it is more than 100 piculs, 50 per cent. shall go to, the publi That 70 per cent. of the remaining stocks shall be rewarded to the informant and the remaining 30 per cent. to the seizing official That all customs officers and other officials shall be responsible for the strict observance of these! orders and those who neglect their duties and permit the smuggling] of the grain with a view to benefit ting themselves shall.be punished That informants giving false information detrimental to the innocent shall be dealt with according]
law; and transportation agents. will be severely punished if found aiding smugglers.'
In the course of instructions to} the District Magistrate, Yen Chun-yang, the Police and Martial Law Commissioner, orders the Magistrate to take note of the soaring prices of the grain which concerns greatly the question of local peace and order, inasmuch as there are thousands of poor who live on their daily income. No hoarding of rice, tays Gen. Yen, must be permitted, nor must there be any smuggling] for export. The Chambers of Commerce must devise ways and means to supply the public at fixed cheap rates so that the poor will not have to suffer any hardships.
'The Shanghai Residents' Association has addressed a letter to the Rice Guild urging them to sever economic relations with Japan and refuse to supply the Island Empire with rice or other raw materials.
Wicked merchants, they say, have been supplying the Japanese with the result that the local prices are high and the poor are suffering. Steps, they say, must be taken! against all smugglers who help the Japanese, 'Ture collection for Dr. Barnardo's Orphan Homes, taken at the Sunday School Christmas Service on December 20 in the Shanghai Free' Ghristian Church, amourtted.to $285.20 and £32.25. This has been forwarded to the Homes.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.