The Union Church Annual Fun Fai is like the first swallow—it doesn't exactly make a Shanghai Christmas, but of any rate it wakes all up to the realization that Christmas is Coming, is eagerly looked forward to fy Shanghai youngsters of all ages, ana is greeted with acclaim.
And so, in accordance with custom, thë Union Church Hall was an inspiring sight yesterday, gaily, de-gerated, sweet with members of Mr. W. J. Kerr's large family of plants and flowers which he had kindly loaned {or the occasion, and dominated as ever by the prettily decorated Christmas Tree. The ex cellent charities which will benefit this year from the proceeds of the Fair are the Social Service Board of the British Women's Association and the Door of Hope. Both are very near to the hearts of a goodly proportion of Shanghai's foreign population, and Mrs. Arch Sinclair, seated at the receipt of custom, had done quite a good deal of hard work in the ticket-selling business by the time Lady Phillips (wife of H. M. Consul-General) had arrived to declare the Fair, open at,5.30 o'clock.
"Mrs. C. W. Scott, president of the Guild, briefly introduced Lady Phillips, and thanked the Work Committee, under the leadership of Mrs. Harmon, and, all members of the organization for the work done to make such a good display on {he various stalls, and also the many friends who had contributed articles for sale.
Lady Phillips, in declaring the sale open, expressed her pleasure at being present, and remarked that her first public speech was made at a similar gathering in Union Church Hall 20 years ago, The worthy objects for Which the sale was arranged needed no emphasis on her part, and she hoped the arduous work of the ladle: evidenced fy the scene around them, would result in a great financial The "Daily Telegraph" does not confirm that credits will be given for motor lorries required by China to build the new road to Burma, but only cites às possible a case in which the Board of Trade might grant wha the Export Credits Department is unable to grant on its own responsibility, The text oh the Export Credits Guarantee Billjshows that the Government have had, within a year, an increase im the statutory levies of their guarantees, under the export credits guarantee scheme, from £50,- 000,000 to £75,000,000 sterling.
This, it is stated, reflects the increased use that exporters are making of the scheme.
The Bill empowers the Board of Trade, without necessarily consulting the Advisory, Committee on Export Credits to cover the port of goods on conditions which are not strictly on a commercial basis, but which, from. a national viewpoint, are well worth doing.
"Under this proposal, war munitions could be obtained if the guarantees were satisfactory, Government commitments under this proposals are limited to £10,- 000,000 sterling.
Under the present scheme, it is contemplated that assistance will be given to a large number of small transactions.
It is understood that cases to be covered will be those where reasons for granting a guarantee are more political than commercial.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.