Market and Bakeries—Supply remained practically normal throughout the month with the exception of Ist quality beef which was rather on the short side. Towards the end of the month, prices of beef, mutton, pork, fish, vegetables and poultry showed a decided increase and in some cases a 30 per cent. rise was noted. A careful check was kept on the weight of "packet" foodstuffs sold from the various licensed premises, and due to previous court action in which numerous offenders were prosecuted, this fraudulent action has ceased for the time being. Samples of bread from all licensed bakeries were taken in the course of early morning delivery and carefully checked for weight. In this connection, it must be stated that the weight in nearly every instance corresponded with that stated on the wrapper.
Unsound Food—169 tins of pine-increase of prices.
Chinese reports state that many institutions have speculators as their customers ud that the Ministry of Finance has instructed the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Shanghai Bankers' Association to secretly investigate their shareholders, directors and business.connections to subdue the speculation fever.
Banking circles told a representative of the "North-China Daily News" yesterday that the Ministry was actually investigating new institutions but not the old ones. It was explained that it would be easier to start action among the new institutions because without Government permits they cannot do business, It was said that it would be very difficult to investigate speculators and manipulators for a bank manager would not admit their part in the wrong business but it was hinted that when the situation returned to normal their names might be found out from foreign institutions. An executive banker stated that speculation must be stopped and he hoped that no bankers would become speculators during the trying period.
Asked as to when the whole problem could be expected to be settled he explained that early settlement of the situation politically would bring good results. It was admitted that it would be hard to control the situation when the Government influence is absent, but that the present official investigation might help in the matter, Tokyo-S'hai Telephoto Service Starts Monday Telephoto service between Shanghai and Tokyo will be started by the Central China Telecommunications Company on Monday, local Japanese newspapers reported yesterday.
The service will be confined for the first several weeks to the transmission of news pictures by Shanghai newspapers and agencies to Tokyo. Later, news pictures, will be sent from Tokyo to Shanghai the papers said.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.