Police Use Barbed Wire At Hongs to Stem Crowds The rice situation in the International Settlement was somewhat easier yesterday as more shops opened their doors and were able to dis tribute the product to a larger number of Chinese.
Throughout both the Settlement and the French Concession, particularly in the districts overwhelmingly settled by Chinese, could long queues of people be observed from early till late, outside the rice-shops. The Police took extra precautions to preserve order and to prevent any looting at the hongs. In Avenue Haig, in streets of the Louza district and elsewhere, barbed wire helped to keep the crowds in check outside the shops No riots were reported, either in the Settlement. or the Concession Vegetables kept arriving on the Bund from Pootung in large quantities. Japanese imports. of fresh fruit and vegetables filled many stalls at the Hongkew Market and many shopwindows i Woosung Road. Hongkew prices maintained a fairly high level Distressing scenes were witnessed yesterday when stocks were completely sold out and many persons in front of some of the rice-hongs were still waiting in line to buy. A call had to be sent to the Chengtu Road Police Station for assistance at 7.20 o'clock last night when a shop at 88 Chengtu Road had no more rice and the would-be customers refused 1o leave the front of the establishment.
Members of the Chinese branch of the Shanghai Municipal Police will be able to buy rice for themselves end their dependents at the various Settlement police stations to-day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.