Local Japanese notables were the! guests of Mr. Kiyoshi "Sude, manager of the local off of the Hsing Gung Kungssu, at a cocktail parly held at the Japanese Club on Mar. 21 to. mark the expansion of the concern's activities in Central China, Among the guests were: Rear-'Admiral Denshichi Ohkochi, Commander of the Naval Landing Party; 'Vice-Admiral Shizuye Teuda, 13.N.R; Commander Matzo Okino, assistant naval attache; and Mr. Masusaburo 'Amano, President of the Japanese Residents' Corporation, Hitherto, the Hsing Chung Kung. sen has been mainly interested in the industrial development of North China. inhabitants engaged in agricultural pursuits will go a long way towards Festoring movement in trade. In fact minor boom may be reasonably anticipated, but it must not be over. looked that the purchasing power of the populace to whom we took for consumption of our commodities hat been seriously depleted so that progress towards this end must necessarily be slow.
T have the' impression, however, that the Japansee Military Author' Ues are already beginning to realise the advantages to be gained by open-Ing up surrounding markets and are encouraging the farmers to return to their normal life, As I see it, the ultimate fate of the outstanding comanitments of foreign firms rests large-on world prices of the principal commodities imported. into Shanghai.
Routine matters which have called for the attention of the Committee during the year have been detailed fully in the annual report and the monthly elreulars have kept members informed of all matters of interest which have come before the T would ike to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of the chamber for the work done dur-Ing the year by the shipping sul committee which has greatly facili-fated the work of the general com-
Teotution "or the fiction nat more Than The fouowing members' were the General' Gommiltee. for OMeeste. Gr Helen
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.