Directory_and_Chronicle_1935

A488

WUCHOW

TRADE IN 1933

A slight decrease of about 2 per cent. is exhibited in the total value of that por- tion of the trade of Wuchow taken cognizance of by the customs. The decline, however, was practically all on the import side of the account, representing a loss of well over 13 per cent. on that section of trade. The value statistics in detail for 1932 and 1933 are as follows: direct foreign imports, 6.8 million dollars as against 7.9 million in 1932; direct exports of Chinese produce to foreign countries, 8.6 million dollars as against 8.1 million; coast wise importations of Chinese produce, 19.8 million dollars as against 19.7 million; and coastwise exportations of Chinese produce, 6.3 million dollars as against 6.5 million. Coastwise movements of foreign goods are not recorded. The reasons for the decline in the import trade, which is carried on chiefly with Hongkong, were: a further decrease in the exchange value of local currency; stringency in the money market due to the failure of a number of local banks and business houses; restriction of demand owing to poverty in general; restrictions and taxation on foreign commodities imposed by the Provincial Government for the pro- tection of domestic industries; the effect of the higher Customs tariff on certain staple imports; and the harmful licence allowed to the Anti-Japanese Society to interfe e with cargoes. The foreign export trade of the port was slightly better than in tle previous year. Shipments of wood oil amounted to 105,000 piculs, half as much as in 1932, but at poor prices; 10.9 million square feet of wood planks were shipped abroad at 30 per cent. lower prices; 1.7 million piculs of firewood, 1.5 million head of poultry, 154,000 piculs of manganese ore, 15,000 piculs of tea oil, nearly 45,000 piculs of cassia lignea, and a considerabie number of pigs and cattle were exported to Hong- kong. Important items in the coastwise trade were: aniseed star, see-cake, hemp, sugar and rise.

Conditions in the province were entirely peaceful throughout the year, chiefly due to the existence of a well-organised militia. The authorities of the Wuchow Municipality were energetic in their efforts to modernise and improve the city. A pleasant park has been created out of an area below the North Hill on which stands the fine Memorial Hall dedicated to the memory of Dr. Sun Yat Sen; the municipal waterworks commenced to supply water to the public on May 1; a German engineer from Hongkong was invited to study conditions and draw up plans for a new bund; the fire-brigade was provided with an up-to-date imported engine with full equipment; and a branch office of the provincial Industrial and Commercial Bureau was opened to promote the export of local products and to suggest methods for the restoration of the trade of the province. Considerable progress was made in provincial highway construction. A great advance in this connection was the opening to traffic of the last section of the road from Liuchow to Kweiyang, thus linking up the provincal highway system with that of Kweichow province. In addition to those already ex- isting, new aerodronies were constructed at Poseh, Kweihsien, Watlam, and Kingyuan.

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