Tsingtao, Feb. 17.
That conditions in this city are Still far from normal must be admitted by the present authorities in Tsingtao and so long as the telegraph service is not available for the ordinary transmission of messages the wharves for merchant and passenger ships, the wharf godowns for the release of cargoes which were stored three months ago and which are still inaccessible on account of military ex-agencies, the greatly desired rehabilitation of this area will take—so much longer to achieve. Another deterrent to the resumption oh business is the fact that though the native banks are open outwardly actually the Bank of China and the Bank of Communications are only working on a very limited scale and under certain restrietions—the same as were operating before the Japanese occupation—while the other non-Government banks are still awaiting the result of the Army and Na deliberations before being permitted to carry on normally. The use of the Shantung Road Pier for the movement of cargo has also been prohibited by the Naval Authorities and Tsihgtao at present, as far as the normal business of the port i concerned, is in the toils of a stranglehold, to be loosened as and when the Military and Naval Authorities consider timely.
"Though the resumption of railway communication between here and Tsinanfu was effected on the 11th inst, (Japanese Empire Day) with "He local station decorated and beflagged for the auspicious occasion. general passenger and goods trafic, also mails, are not yet carried, though a number of civilian Japanese have been carried by special permit of the authorities to their homes fully examined and questioned to keep out undesirables and those harbouring "dangerous thoughts." Crime has decreased greatly. This Committee is also doing good work in stopping the depredations of numerous villagers and others who have been denuding Tsingtao's beautiful woods and hills of trees—thousands of which were cut down by these thoughtless but necessitous folk, for fuel in the interim when authority was non existent. Street cleaners may also be seen at their work once again and Tsingíao's reputation for having the cleanest streets in China will, it is hoped, be kept up. Another 500 wen for the local police ere expected from Peking and Tientsin in a few days, many of whom can speak Japanese.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.