Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 806

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

A418

CHUNGKING

communications between Ichang and Chungking at this point and eventually linking up their forces with those of the notorious bandit leader Ho Lung on the Szechwan- Hupeh frontier. Thanks to the stern resistance offered by the Bandit-suppression Army these intentions were frustrated in time, but, as a great deal of discord between the various military units in Szechwan still prevailed, prospects for the complete suppression of the "Red" menace in the province were not too good at the close of the year. These incessant military operations and the depredations of the communist forces are progressively impoverishing the country and hindering a resumption of normal trading. Three internal loans of 5 million dollars each were successively floated during the year by the 21st Army alone to meet the necessary military expenditure, while the people had to bear an increasing burden of taxation in addition to their property losses. Of the "Red suppression tax" of 4 million dollars, the city of Chungking had itself to subscribe 14 million dollars. However necessary some of this taxation may be, it is plain that it must minimise productivity and purchasing power when imposed upon a people already impoverished by the events of a whole series of ill-starred years, and that time and better internal conditions alone can bring about any real recovery in trade. The statistics for the year indicate that a further decline of about 8 per cent has taken place in the value of cargoes dealt with by the Customs. The value of direct foreign imports amounted to 2.2 million dollars as against 3,2 million in the previous year; imports of Chineso produce were valued at 39 million dollars as against 42.9 million; and the combined figure for exports of Chinese produce coastwise and direct to foreign countries was 30.7 million dollars as against 32 million. Interport movements of foreign goods, inwards or outwards, are not recorded. A noteworthy feature of the import trade was the resumption of dealings in Japanese goods, principally sea products and cotton goods. The import trade in general was helped by the fall in exchange on several foreign countries and on Shanghai. Remittance charges between Chungking and Shanghai have been an important trade factor for some years, remaining at the somewhat lower but still heavy average of about 15 per cent during the year under review. Amongst the export staples to show noticeable improvement were the following: bristles, duck feathers, pig intestines, hides, goat skins, nutgalls, dyestuffs, wood oil, and ramie. A distinct revival in the domestic trade in Szechwan brown sugar was indicated by the export of 235,000 piculs as agaist only 82,000 piculs in 1932. The rice crop failed owing to a drought, but local demand was successfully met from the large carry-over from the previous year. Little was accomplished in road development during the year, except in Chungking itself, but a good deal of work has been projected by the newly established Provincial Highways Central Administration. Airway traffic between Chungking and Chengtu was inaugurated as an extension of the Shanghai- Chungking service, and became quite a popular metliod of travel between the first- mentioned two cities.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1935 — Page 806

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