Dwelling on the tocal food situation he thought that: it was as good could be expected under " the abnormal conditions. Prices of mast of the staples have increased said, but the remedy was not in the hands of the Council. The - rice problem which was a matter of rave concern to the Municipal authorities and employers of "labour here affecting as It does the entire Chinese community, has been settled satisfactorily by' the Council's move importing rice from Hongkong for coal consumption. The immediate effects were a reduction in prices of the cereal, If the principal staple could be controlled the official said hho thought, other commodities would tend *to fail in line.
The immediate future he continued. Fdid not~give fse 10" shy misgivings fas the currency has been "more {ess stable for, some time past and no" particular "aiMeulty has been experienced recently in obtaining Supplies from areas surrounding Shanghai. Military operations in the south have disrupted the normal supplies of fruits to Shanghai.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.