Overseas Chinese who have returned to Hongkong are glad to learn that the rubber and tin industries in the Straits Settlements are im: proving, as this will give them a Chance we return there to make living. The local boarding houses fare full of guests who come here from the mainland to await passports and steamers to take them back to Singapore, and Penang.
'To facilitate -the return of these Chinese the steamship companies contemplating a reduction of fares third class and steerage, This would, encourage the return of _imigrants' who are in an impoverished cond!- than.
Furthermore, the Colonial authoritles are expected to permit the use of government lots in Sumshulpo, Licheekok and other places on the Kowloon Peninsula. The plan. suggests that these lands be leased to handicraft workers free from rent for three years. All the petty industrlalists have to do is to. built shed on the empty lot, and then a small factory will be functioning.
Such an objection is foreseen by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Canton will be connected with Hankow by 1996, as the Ministry of Railways has floated for construction purposes bonds amounting to £1,400,000 secured on the British Boxer Indemnity Funds and made a further appropriation of " $5,000,000 from the proceeds of the American wheat and cotton Joan. Nanking plans to bring prosperity to Canton. by completing the railway, and Canton does not want to hand away this privilege to Hongkong.
Except for this railway item, the recovery plan is believed sound in many quarters. It is felt in commercial circles here that efforts should be made to induce the Chinese authorities to. scale down the high tariff duties, which are a detriment to the trade of Hongkong. What the merchants here desire is a preferential tariff in favour only of Toeal products.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.