THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 23, 1939. ·
CANTON AFTER A YEAR OF OCCUPATION
Canton, To-day.
A YEAR AGO ON SATURDAY, the Japanese Army entered and occupied Canton, after covering the distance from Bias Bay to the city in nine days. It was the first time in the long history of the City of the Rams that foreign troops had occupied the capital of Kwangtung. While the Japanese authorities and the new Chinese regime are celebrating the event, foreign busi- ness concerns and the various missionary socie- ties in Canton are wondering what lies ahead, as the past year has been a most uncertain and difficult period for all. Any review of the foreign trade for the past twelve months would be but a dismal story. Though the Pearl River is open to limited traffic be- tween here and Hong Kong, and Canton and Macao, there is still a prohibition of the import of foreign goods, except those for consumption by the Sha- | Committee, which has been doing meen community.
As a result, the turnover of the majority of the foreign hongs must have been about the smallest in their history.
JAPANESE DISILLUSIONED But it is not only the foreign traders that have felt the pinch. Many inde- pendent Japanese and Formosan
traders filtered into Canton following
the occupation, dreaming of a fortune
ahead: they have been disillusioned in
the main.
The same regulations govern. ing imports by foreigners apply to Japanese nationals, as far as imports from Hongkong are con- cerned.
For any Japanese trader to import goods, they have to come via Formosa, and the same applies when gods are exported from Canton. ·
While the Japanese authorities have made great strides in recent months in restoring peace and order, there is still much to be done before it can be said that normal. conditions prevail, JAPANESE ESTIMATES When the Japanese first Canton, the populace numbered only 50,000. By January, this figure rose to 500,000, and at the present time, according to Japanese estimates, the population is around 800,000..
entered
This figure, foreign observers hold, is an over-estimate.
It is. thought that the Japanese base their estimate on the number of people applying for “Good Citizen" badges, but this would be a some- what unreliable basls, RB many Chinese, while applying for them- selves, also apply for relatives who hope to return to Canton in the near future.
The increase in the population in recent months is primarily due to the high cost of living in Hongkong and Macao, and the depreciation of the Chinese currency. Án additional factor is the much greater degree of safety in the city, as compared to the country, where banditry is said to be rife, both in the occupied and unoc-
cupied areas.
NOT SATISFIED While the sudden influx is a good sign, it is believed that the Japanese authorities are not quite satisfied with the classes that have returned; as it means a monetary loss to them when the poorer
classes return and are
{
without any means of making a live- lihood. This would mean that the Japanese would have to sell rice at below cast price to a greater number of people. This is also causing the missionary societies some anxiety, especially the Canton Refugee Areas
some excellent work.. among 'the poorer classes, women and children in particular.
The Secretary of the Committee, the Rev. N. V. Halward, informed Reuter that the Committee, is distributing, gratis, some 10,000 bowls of congee every morning. Should the population of the present type increase to any
Page
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One, and the chief reason that the better classes of Chinese are hesitant in returning to the city is the search- ing conducted by some of the Japanese sentries.
Though it must be admitted that it is not general, there have been many cases where decently-dress- ed Chinese women have beon most indecently searched, and it is this that is preventing the mid- dieclasses from returning.
One of the most striking features during the year, as compared with other occupied areas in China, was the absence of “incidents" between Japanese and foreigners. This partly be attributed to the attitude of the
foreigners themselves and partly to
the tactful behaviour of Mr. Katsuo Okazaki, until recently Japanese Con- sul General in Canton.-Reuter.
PUBLIC AUCTION
The Undersigned have received instructions to sell by Public Auction on
Tuesday, the 24th. October, 1939.
commencing at 2.30 p.m. at Godown No. 12 of The Hong Kong & Kowloon Wharf &
Godown Co., Ltd., Kowloon, for account of the concerned 60 packages Miscellaneous Goods comprising:-
Sesame Seed, White Nuts, Rice, Starch, Fire Crackers, Cum- quat, Bamboo Shoots, Mats, Calendars, ETC.,
(all more or less damaged): Terms: Cash on Delivery
LAMMERT BROS.,
Auctioneers. Hong Kong, 23rd Oct., 1939
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