21 of 500 Factories Resume Work in Eastern Area Three months after the removal of the theatre of war, factory sirens are being heard over Shanghai. Labour conditions are, however, far from normal, as only a comparatively small umber of industrial concerns has decided to resume operations with skeleton staffs, An interesting illustration of the present labour situation may be found In the number of workers employed {in the Settlement, which is estimated, at over 40,000, "as compared with 150,000 working in normal times, OF the 40,000 workers, over 50 per cent. are engaged in factories in the western ditriet. Once a thriving me dustrial contre, the eastern district employs only 7,000 men at the present moment without any immediate pros-Dect of an improvement of" the situation. In normal times as many 5 9,000 found work in the area, While the utility concerns have maintained their services throughout the hostilities, many small plants, such as printing works, in the central istrict, reported only brief interrupt tions of business.
The majority of workers are employed in cotton mills in the western section of Shanghai, including Gordon Road and Pootoo Road districts, About 5,500 are employed in about seven Japanese mills now operating in this section.
Among the Japanese cotton mills which have resumed operations are the Kung Dah mills in Jessfield Road and Singapore Road, the Japan-China cotton mills in Robison Road, the Tung Shing cotton mill in Pootoo Roud district, the NW.KC. mills West Soochow "Rood and "Robison Other cotton mills which are func= toning in the western.area are {he Kung Yih, Wing On, Hung Chang, Sung Sing, Tung YIN and Sing In Eastern District A oral of 21 factories are working in the Yangtszepoo and Yulin. Road districts. These include the Shanghai Power Ca. the Shanghai Waterworks fand the Shanghai Gaz Ca. andthe nghai Dockyards, Ten of the 21 industrial plants are anese-owned cotton mill, employ. ing a. total of 2800" workers. The inciode the Japanese Kung Dah mil the, Shanghai Cotton -Manufacturiny Covethree mile and the Dah Koni Compared to the 500. otaries which operated before the hoaiities. the prevent mumber represents: but fraction of the figure, "The majority of these factories will never be able remem their work, ay their machiery has either been" damaged The Japanese cotton mils in the astern avon only resumed work ater the "Chinese" New Year holidays Skeleton staffs are employed for the time being the vast Pootung ares and the once busy Nantno district, two. fae-tories are working, one in each trict. The Yee Trung tobacco factor which employs bout 2.700 worker has been operating for some time, Fantao," devasted" by "unfre and blazes, the. Kia Sin: Dock, a. French concern, has re-opened. with full Complement of 270 workers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.