"Reformed Government" Minister of Industry Plans Changes; Former Members May Rejoin Shanghai, Apr. 27, The intention tq reorganize the Chinese Chamber of Commerce here was announced yesterday" by Mr. Wang Tze-hui, Minister of Industry in the "Reformed Government," in an interview with Japanese hewspapermen. The reorganization,—he added, will be completed "within a week or two."
The Shanghai Civic Association, 0 few of whose leaders have been assassinated by zealous patriots, will simultaneously be disbanded and its officials will become members of the new Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, Mr, Wang revealed.
The Civic Association, he said, was founded soon after the occupation of the Shanghat area by Japanese troops to maintain a liaison Telephone Cables Cut Shanghai, Apr. 27 The Hungjao telephone line was disrupted again the whole of yesterday when, for the third time this month, the wire was severed by Would-be cable thieves. A repair squad from the Shanghai Telephone Company arrived on the spot in ime to save the cables, but the thieves had" already fled," apparently on approach of the party.
"The cutting of the wires actually happened shortly before midnight on April 25, Suspeeting what had happened when a "break" in the wire Wwas reported, a foreign engineer and his assistant immediately went 19 the Bubbling Well Police Station and reported the matter, He was, pro~ vided with the services of two Japanese police officers, and contact was established with the Japanese military authorities in charge of the' Hunglao area, Japanese military escort was. provided and the small party set off down Great Western Road. It was found that the cable had been cut at almost the same place as it was on April 13—at a point west of Fraser Road, on the unfinished portion of Great Western Road. A few hundred yards away, a Japanese military post has been established.
On April 13 last, the "Telephone. Company. repair bitty found that not only had 330 feet of 200 pair cables been taken "away but two. telephone poles had also been chopped down: no trace of either the ables or the thieves could be found, Cut Into Lengths between the Japanese authorities and the Chinese population.
The Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Wang continued, has been controlled by the Ta Tao Government for the past. few months, but has remained Hiargely inactive, The reorganization, he declared, aims at the revival of the commercial organization. Former members. of the Chamber may be allowed to foin the reconstructed "organ, "circum stances permitting"
"The 'Reformed Government." Mr. Wang admitted, "is deeply interested the reorganization of the Chamber, in view of the Important role played by' the latter. under the Nationalist Government."
Turning to.the. problem of the: rehabilitation of Kiangsu and Che-Kiang provinces, Mr. Wang said especial attention will be paid by the "Reformed Government" to the revival of the tea and silk industries.
Special bureaux, he said, will be Jestablished to control the production, fand sale of tea and silk and to give advice to growers on technical improvements and transportation. The bureaux will also give credit} facilities to the producers.
"Every effort will be made to accelerate the opening of the Silk jand Cocoon Control Bureau," he said, "in view of the approach of the marketing season."
'Technical experts of the "Reformed Government," Mr. Wang revealed, were to leave for tHe country'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.