CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 353

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British missionaries complain that converts have been much subjected to annoy- auce and petty persecution on account of their religion, more so than at any time during the past fifteen or twenty years. The "persecution" usually takes the form of attempts to force the converts to subscribe to idol processions. At Loyüan several cases of trouble have been reported by British missionaries. These disturbances seem to be connected with a feud of long standing, as all the converts belong to one clan and their persecutors to another. Crops were burnt, and several fights took place. Matters were settled by the Magistrate binding over both parties to keep the peace. The Magistrate at Kuch'êng has undertaken to protect native Christians against perse- cutions on account of their religion.

At Foochow the heads of the pagan sacrificial Associations and the native Christian pastors have agreed to bring all disputes before an Arbitration Committee appointed by themselves. All expenses are to be met by a rate levied equally on both parties. Should a satisfactory decision not be arrived at after two sittings, the records of the case are to be forwarded to the local officials, and, when necessary, to the Consul interested as well.

Hangchow.

In the neighbourhood of Hangehow the autumn rice crop was good, and fairly good weather succeeded the heavy September rains, so that nearly 70 per cent, of the crop was harvested. Only some 50 per cent. of the crop could be reaped in the Huchow prefecture, which abuts on the Great Lake (Tai Hu), and appropriations were made both by the Governor and by the Throne for the relief of distress. The people appear to have a sufficiency of rice at present, but their stock will he exhausted before the spring. Taxes have been remitted in the Huchow prefecture on low-lying lands where the crops were totally destroyed.

Railway. The ceremony of turning the first sod took place on the 14th November. Since that date the work of building embankments for the railway on the Hangchow section has been actively prosecuted. The issue of preference shares in the Company (the Chekiang Provincial Railway Company) was stopped on the 15th December. The total number of these shares issued up to that date amounts roughly to about 5,000,000 dollars. A preliminary survey of the extension from Hangchow to Kashing is now in progress. The people generally are said to be very anxious for the railway to be built, and the Company takes advantage of this by sending an advance agent to each town en route to ascertain what squeeze will be paid for building the line in its neighbourhood.

Right to trade in the City.The authorities endeavour to maintain that the Treaty port of Hangchow is confined to the Settlement, outside the limits of which foreign merchants cannot establish themselves. Several Japanese businesses have gradually appeared in the city, and the local Chinese Chamber of Commerce recently addressed a Petition to the Board of Agriculture in Peking dealing with the subject generally, After pointing out that much small trade is taken away from the Chinese by these establishments, and that while extra-territoriality prevails no effective control can be maintained over them by the local authorities, they state that when challenged these businesses are usually represented as merely "Chinese agencies." The petitioners then ask that regulations applicable to all provinces may be issued by the Board pro- viding for a proper scrutiny of these so-called agencies, and for their removal to the Settlements if it is shown that they are not bond fide Chinese concerns.

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Wuchow.

Nanning. The Acting Commissioner of Customs proceeded to Nanning on the 25th December in connection with the opening of the port.

Three hulks have been constructed at Wuchow by order of the Nauning Taotai, who is defraying all expenses in connection with them. They will soon be towed to Nanning, where they will be used by the Imperial Maritime Customs. Advices received at Wuchow state that Nanning was opened on the 1st January,

Mukden.

A Japanese Exposition was opened on the 15th December with some ceremony. The undertaking is stated to be by six of the leading Chambers of Commerce of Japan.

The Japanese Consul-General took the leading part in the ceremony so far as Chinese and foreign guests were concerned. The two Chinese Imperial Commis sioners to Manchuria excused themselves at the last moment on the ground of urgent business. Several speeches were delivered. The variety of articles was extraordinary.

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