}
42
Chinese. Although little machinery was lost, the number of persons brought back into the industry amounted in December, 1946, to only 40% of the number employed before the war. The chief difficulty was high labour costs and expensive raw materials. Soya beans had to be brought from North China at eight times the pre-war cost, while tinplate was scarce and very expensive. Wages increased tenfold. Nevertheless the pro- duction in 1946 amounted to 4,000,000 dollars. The export market lies principally in Malaya and the Philippine Islands.
Other Industries.
During 1946 confectionery production reached about one- third of the pre-war figure, supplying mainly the local market. Glass exports to Manila, Singapore and Bangkok amounted to about 10% of pre-war exports. Tanning returned to about 60% of its former output whilst the manufacture of perfumes owing partly to high costs and partly to the large supplies of foreign cosmetics reached only about one-fifth of the pre-war level. Finally the
Finally the production of joss sticks was seriously affected by the internal strife in Indo-China which was formerly the principal market for this export trade.