Prices still continue to soar, and even local commodities are getting far beyond the pockets of the poor. Coal for example is over $3 a picul, when usually at this time itis less than' si for that quantity.
One reason for the high prices is that the Customs have opened stations In Hengyang and Lokeo and all coat between Hengyang and Siangtan must pay 60 or 70. cents per picul; another reason given is that the mines Lolyang and further up river cannot work to capacity because of lack of miners, The Presbyterian Mission held its annual meeting in. Siangtan between May 9 and 15. Nineteen members were present, The Rev. W. T. Blackstone was elected chairman and Dr. Frank Newman vice-chairman. The review of the year shows propre The medical work in four stations reported a record number of patients at elmies and in-patients. More than {00,000 individual patients were treated and the number of in-patients was often more than the four hospitals could comfortably care for. Lack of Sta and the dif culty of getting edieines from the coast have been dimeult problems to solve, The Rev. W. H. Clark. has been loaned, to Kunming for student work for another year, while the Rev. A. H, Birkel has been, assigned to the Changsha Station, The three middle schools with which the mission ce-operates have had good years. The junior middle school at Henyang was compelled moverto Kwoiyanghsien in the Chenchow station area and has had record enrolments. Yali and Fuhsiang have remained in Yuanling, where they moved shortly after the war began. More than 1,000 students are enrolled in these schools. Refugee primary schools have also been opened in several places and primary schools have continued in all but one station, The order has gone forth that all women under 40 who cannot read are obliged to learn to read and literacy: finsses have: been opened, Some women with children have been excused but unless good reasons can be shown they are compelled to study.
Frame Conditions The vebulll motor road from. Hengsan to Siangtan (Hslachiasi) 1s open and when it docs not rain trucks and busses run, but no hard pan has been placed on the newly fade rondo that it is almost impassable when it rains. It has been reported that the railway from Lokeo to Chuchow and Sianglan ts to be rebuilt soon, Refuses who have een quartered near Siangtan Sinngsiang are being pushed further fon, some even returning to northern Hunan... With soaring prices of all commodities, their plight is pitiful in the extreme, Government refugee work ig sui being carried on, but these poor people are not wanted in the country, where conditions are poor with only local people to feed, but when thousands are added who have InsuMlcient to eat, it makes matters worse.
There seems to be plenty of money, for business Is good and while there some profiteering, it seems almost unthinkable that so many outward signs of aMluence exist.
Changsha Is still building, but no. large or permanent buildings are permitted; the return of the people has) been gradual and steady through the The statement, however, does not refer to question of the Chinese silver the French Concession at Tientsin, which will apparently take further time for sottlement.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.