Shaohsing Che, Mar. 9.
The New Year holidays are now over and most of the Shaohsing men who came home on a short visit from the yamens and banks within the four corners of China are now on their way back to resume their work, The holidays have been the quietest on record and fewer orackers were fired off than in any year, within my memory. Our Military Governor's injunctions forbidding the discharge of crackers at night still hold good and not a single one was let off within the city, even on New Year's night, Five small Chinese banks have not reopened since the holidays. I understand most of them have closed down, not on account of any special calamity occurring, such as the misappropriation of funds, but. simply because trade is bad, Not more than $100,000 is involved in the closing of the whole five.
The motor road between Shaiohsing and Hangchow is still far from completion. Work ig being carried on in rather a desultory manner and not a single bridge has yet been built. I understand that this state of affairs is due largely to the lack of funds, It has now been proposed to levy a tax of 10 per cent, on all Chinese and foreign tobacco consumed in Chekiang and to devote the proceeds of the tax to complete the road system planned for this province. All the firms interested in the sale of tobacce are up in arms against the tax and the government have net yet been able to collect it, In justification of its action, it is pointed out that a similar tax is now being collected for the same purpose the adjoining province of Fukien.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.