Canton, Feb. 9.
With the near approach of warm weather, the Japanese authorities have started a health campaign. Free inoculations against typhoid and cholera have been made available to the Chinese public, while an army of coolies has been mobilized to give the streets of the city their first thorough cleaning since the evacuation of the Chinese at the end of October. Boatloads of refuse and dirt are being taken out of the city daily.
It is reported that the Japanese intend shortly to begin the removal of the debris of the thousands of gutted houses in Canton.
Although still unrecognizable from the city of old, conditions in Canton are gradually improving. Supplies of electricity and water are again available in a greater part of the city, while several large Chinese hotels have reopened and are reported to be doing fairly good business.
Several schools have also been opened by the Japanese-fostered Peace Maintenance Commission, but they concentrate mainly on the teaching of the Japanese language.
The Japanese claim that more than 600 students are now attending these schools, which are taught by teachers specially brought from Formosa.
Meanwhile, the only business done in Canton is in the "looters' markets"—so called because the articles on sale are generally believed to have been looted. Anything from a button to a piano can be bought in these markets, which are well patronized by foreigners in search of bargains.—Reuter, As a reflection of local trade conditions in Shanghai it is interesting to note the steady growth in gas production as provided by figures given by the Shanghai Gas Ca. showing that in 1900 the sales amounted to 140 million cubic feet, increasing to 470 million, cubic feet in 1914 and;|to 472 During post-War period the Tillion cubic feet in 1919. growth was steadily on the increase, until in 1936 the sales of gas reached the fine total of 880 million cubic feet, which is an increase of more than 85 per cent on the 1919 figure. As would be expected the figures for the year just completed are less than the years immediately preceding, but the 724 million cubic feet of gas sold in 1938, show that in spite of the severe blow that recently rocked the industry of Shanghai, there is still a lot of business being done.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.