Chekiang Farmers in Serious Position Fuose Ovn Ows Conmusroxoen Hangetiow, Sept. 3.
The drought is broken. During the past week copious rains have fallen, more particularly in the surrounding counties, and the break-up of the Tong stretch of oppressive heat is pretty" general throughout the south west of Chekiang. In place of the sunburnt earth, pools of water now cover the fields and the whole landscape is refreshed. With the frequent, thunderstorms and heavy rains, Cheiang is once again "a green and pleasant. land" and the hills and dales are beautified with curious tints. light and shade.
Nevertheless, 1934 will go on record, especially by the farming: class, a year of blight. The heavens have been brass and the earth iron, and crops have withered and died. In an area which ordinarily yields some 2,000 loads of rice, barely ten loads have been reaped, and innumerable acres of fields were never even touched by the plough. The heat has been so great that trees, in the orange groves, have dried up'at the roots, and an unusual sight was to see the bamboos shrivel and collapse.
Harassed by fears of famine, the country folk have brought about a great revival in superstitious methods, with the hope of inducing the rain to fall. District officers and Sovernment officials endeavoured to check this retrograde move by publi> exhortation but, in almost every Instance, their efforts were countered with a broadside of abuse. It is reported that one Unfortunate "Tang-pu" official was beaten to death, and the mayor of a certain city on the Chientang River made a bolt for his, life from the mob seized with an apoplectic fit of rage.
Yamens Besieged The yamens have been besieged by farming peasants praying the mayor {to intercede for a remission of taxes fon the unfruitful lands. Tt is tragic to see a procession of farmers, each holding a handful of dry stubble, to emphasize the extremity to whea they have been brought. Some of the suffering peasants have appealed {for an official permit to beg, s0 fe ful are they of the privations which would seem to be their doom in the coming winter.
The new life movement continues to keep active its varied programme of propaganda. In a neighbouring county town a crusade against cigurtte smoking was staged. The town erler, with a gong, preceded by a band, attracted large crowds, who.were more amused than convinced, as they listened to his denunciation of this luxury which was described fs a trinity of evil, being expensive, poisonous and bad for the morals.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.