In spite of rumours and a general jitterrness there seem to be more People in this city than ever before. There are many new hotels and all doing a good business. Prices are soaring for all necessities except rice which has come down several dollars the past few weeks because of the Prospects of an another bumper rice crop in Hunan. 'The writer visited Hengyan and Chenhsien travelling by the railroad and everywhere there are signs of abundant harvests, The heavy' rains and rising water of a few weeks ago washed out some of the low-lying Melds but these had all been replanted and while there will be a late harvest, even, so the prospects are good' all through the province.
The rumours have been constant and insistent that the way via Ningpo to Shanghai is closed, but that has been denied by people who have recently come through that way. Goods are finding it increasingly dificult and expensive to be brought in from the coast.
The new land registration office has begun its work and there seems a ood deal of misunderstanding concerning it. Some are even going far as to call it a move of the Communists. The Presbyterian Mission has a good deal of property in this city and it all has been registered. Some of the regulations seem rather Senseless, and one wonders what is behind it. For example you are supposed io give your estimate of the resent value of your own land. It your estimation is too low the Government will buy it from you, which means practical confiscation. if your estimate is too large they will lay taxes accordingly, ete. It seems that some of the large cities are to be registered first. Changteh and Chang sha, Siangtan, Hengyang and other cities are included.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.