or the frst time in the history of Amateur Dramatic Club Chinese amateurs are taking part in one of productions. Amongst the very clever dancers who are appearing different numbers throughout the! programme of the forthcoming Pantomime are Mig Violet Chien Rud her brother Gordon. Both. of tender years they make their ap: Dearance in. the toyshop scene, which they do a charming Netherlands wooden shoe dance. At the dress rehearsals on Saturday and yesterday. they earned uproarious "applause by their clover dancing and Shs expected. they will make a define hit when "Dick Whittington and his Cat" opens on Wednesday fight. Though "the A'D.C. has always) een a British Club it" has ever been exclusively 20, and it hat amongst ile members, and has. had in Various of i caas amateurs other nationalities, while sz far back "The Pursuit of Pamela" a Japanese artist. was prevailed upon io' bulld a Japanese house for one of the scenes, and did if most effectively. The appearance of Master and ties 'Chien inthe cast of the pantomime is particularly to be welcomed not only' because the we children dance extremely well, but because it also shows the broad basis upon which the A.D.C. conceives its productions, inaugurated last April by the King and Queen of Italy. Its foundation, [stone was laid by Signor Mussolini in August of 1933. The main object of the reclamation of the marshes Is. to establish a prosperous agricultural district. Ina year the harvest has risen from 340 quintals of grain 1883 to 30,000 quintals in 1934. Sabaudia will be an agricultural centre but, unlike the other two towns, a tourist centre as well, [Situated on Lake Paolo, Sabaudla is also close to the sea. The associa tion of the district with ancient legend, combined with the other! jedvantages makes it ideal for tourists. The scheme eloquently shows how the demon of pestilence has been exoreized by the project now coming so triumphantly to fruition. Signor Mussolin's own personal interest has been abundantly proved. When laying the foundation stone of Sabaudia, he made a tour of the elds, seized armful atter armful of corn and fed them into the threshing machines. For this he was enrolled asa labourer for the day and received $85 centesimi which he duly handed over to loca! charity. His leadership in the creation of tis new Province should "further strengthen his claim to the gratitude of his dellow-countrymen and the Fespect of the world. 1
England is enveloped in fog 10] give a time-honoured welcome to the festive season. London has found its automatic trafic signals useless under the visitation and, no doubt, Mr. Here Belisha has received appropriate Christmas cards of congratulation of the event. Shanghai's Christmas weather has included a slight touch of fog and it as already. changes from frigidity to tepidity with usual waywardness. At the momen: the forecasts for to-morrow are. noi available. Rain and snow have both received mention in recent bulletins from Siccawei. Shanghai hes had 3 drizzle but the temperature, _being above the normal, does not seem promise snow. That may be changed before Christmas Eve is past. The "old fashioned" Christmas, with snow on the ground and ice on the ponds, may be yet the lot of English people at Home. Shanghai will have to be content with snow, if it is even allowed that concession to sentiment However that may be, Shangha landers are believed to be preparing to spend Christmas in no. niggare spirit, "As for that depression, ever the, most rigorous upholder ancial rectitude has been heard te declare during the week-end tha' Shanghai should lift up its heart fo: this season and be merry. And may be suspected that few offices Day and the week-end a continuous period of relaxation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.