Chungking, Feb. 25.
"Touch the green" Is to be no mere in Wanhsien, 'This really de~ Hghtful little phrase covers an old custom, that of stealing the produce from a neighbour's vegetable' garden fon the night of the Fifteenth Day of the first moon each year. The city government of Wanhsien, however, has prohibited the practice, and those who attempt it to-night, which is the might. tu question, will be severely punished.
The practice arises from the old superstition thata woman who committed such a theft would soon be with child, "During recent years, however, the poor people of the countryside have taken advantage of tthe opportunity afforded them to deprive their neighbours of all the Vegetables in their gardens, and 30 the Wanhsien city government has decided that the practice Is to cease.
'A telegram has been received from the Nanking Relief Association to the effect that all its funds are practlally exhausted and that no money Would be available for the sorely-stricken famine sufferers in Szechuen until further subscriptions are received this spring. This disappointing news, however, has been. allayed somewhat by a message which states that Gen. Liu Hsiang's appeal to the Third Plenary Session of the C.E.C. in Nanking has been approved; the Minister of Finance has received structions to set aside by means fan appropriation a certain sum for famine relief work.
In connection with financial matters, the Young Brothers Banking Corp, which opened in this province about 20 years ngo, will Increase its feapital from one-to. 10,000,000 dollars; business operations by this concern have been very profitable, Residents Yunnanfw are erecting a cotton mill, with a eapitat of $800,000, in an allompt to stop the outflow each year of at lea '$10,000,000 on import ed cotton yarn and piece goods. Work fon the mill was started last October, and Is expected to be completed in April. The machinery for the mill {ig 1936-moder type and Engtish made: It Ie capable of producing between 40,000 and 60,000 bales of yarn a year,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.