Relief. Commission, spical interest attaches to the rural ce-operative work which the Commission is directing in three provinces and two of its Committees in Hupeh and Hunan respectivel The sum of $2,000 million is involve ed and "two banks are participating in the matter of capital", to quote from Mr. Dwight W. Edwards's foreword to the report. Growing enthusiasm for this movement is re corded. In Chihli ce-operative work started nine years ago as an experiment is taken root. 4 Wleseribed_ as havin In July of last year the Committee on Rural Co-operation finding that the Provincial Government would not take over cooperative work from the Commission, resumed its programme and gave valuable assistance to cooperative societies of assured standing. No less than 108 soci es were recognised during the year bringing the total up to 379° for Chihli. "In Shantung the Provincial Government, showing its customary enterprise, appointed its own committee to deal with the movement. The Chihli societies benefitted by the support of the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank which signed an agreement in June 1932 increasing its original share of $20 million in the loans to credit s0- cietieg to $50 million. The Bank of China and the Kincheng Banking Corporation also signified" their readiness to participate. Thus the farmer and the peasant can ce) mand the services of institutions which do not run on usurious pri ciples but charge a fair rate of interest to the relief of the tiller of the soil. In the classification of Joans made under the Commission's auspices on the ce-operative principle nearly 00 transactions are stated to have been in respect of the repayment of old debts—a sign the confidence felt in the cooperative society. Even more were for the purchase of animals, foot, implements—nearly 400 in' each category. For the purchase of fer~ tilisers' 211 persons borrowed from the Societies. These figures given random betoken the functioning, these organisations on the lines for which they are devised in Chihli less than 2,307 borrowers had Tecourse to the societies and the aggregate amount. lent reached the sum of $64,600 in varying small Amounts for' periods ranging from Jess than 6 months to three yes The figures indicate dimensions of the movement in con the field available. however, the undoubted benefits which it can offer and, consequently, the enormous advantages to be obtained from its extension and whole-hearted encouragement. In Hunan a Committee hhas_promated, ce-operation in, the farming districts on experimental 8. The Secretary, Mr. F. K. Heinrichsohn, whose labours are so well recognised in the Province, vecords progress initiated but also dicated the difficulties in the way of rapid achievement, In referring to the organisation of Mutual Aid So-cities which were based on procedure obtaining in Kiangsi and Anhwei, he states that it soon be-ame evident that changes Were required owing to the unsuitability of certain local leaders. To remedy this village elders and wealthy farmers were induced to take responsibility for the loans. Now managers have been assigned to the districts and it is hoped by that course to Keep the societies up to their work. Naturally the whole of the move ment is in its infancy. The perseverance shown by the Commission sponsoring it is nevertheless bearing fruit and, in the long run, its Beneficent efforts may have far-reaching results to the great benefit of China's rural economy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.