Directory_and_Chronicle_1940 — Page 838

A454

NANNING

running within city limits, which are owned by the government. All highway traffic and bus companies are under the control of the Bureau of Highway Traffic Administration.

As for Communication on water Nanning is connected with the outside world also by way of Yukiang (or Yuk River) which leads down-stream to Wuchow in the east, up stream to Lungchow in the southwest, or up stream to Pe-Se in the northwest. Motor boats sailing daily from Nanning to these three cities. Concerning Communication by telephone, the dial system is adopted in the city of Nanning. The excellent tele- phone system recently completed enables the provincial government's orders to be sent through telephones (sometimes through the broadcast station) even to the most distant districts in the province. Besides, air transportation has been lately made possible by establishment of the Nanning-Canton and Nanning-Lungchow air lines which, carrying both passengers and mail, are run by the South Western Aviation Co. In order to meet the rapid-growing demand of industry and trade the Kwangsi Province Bank has issued notes for circulation in the province against which the cash reserve is always so carefully kept that serious runs or depreciation of the notes seldom occur. The Bank with its head office and a board of Directors in Nanning has! three main branches, (one in Hongkong, one in Canton, one in Kweichow) and a num- ber of smaller branches and exchange stores situated in different districts. Since its establishment the Bank has been yielding steady interests and attractive profits.

As for commerce and trade, Nanning being the capital of the province and hav- ing the good communication facilities both by land and by water, is only next to Wu- chow. Public utility and small industrial enterprises in Nanning are being develop- ed very rapidly. During the past few years there have been established, in addition to those mentioned above, a leather-manufacturing factory, a dyeing and textile mill, a bonegraining and a button-making factory. With their continual effort of mark- ing progress, they are all assured with a promising future and brilliant success.

TRADE IN 1938

Despite Japanese air raids in January, September and November, a general exodus of population, and unfavourable exchange, the trade of Nanning for the first nine months of the year continued to be satisfactory, domestic imports maintaining their normal level with coastwise exports showing an increase. Following the fall of Canton and the closing of the West River in October, trade conditions underwent noticeable change. The source of supply of certain imported goods was gradually cut off, while the domestic export trade with the port of Wuchow was seriously hampered by the inability of cargoes to proceed beyond that port. Exporters, nevertheless, diverted their goods to other routes, but statistics for these became no longer available. The value statistics of the trade of the port as recorded by the Customs were as follows: direct foreign imports, chiefly by parcel post, $28,000 as compared with $22,152 during 1937; coastwise imports, $5.5 million as against $5.8 million; and coastwise exports, $4.4 million as compared with $2.8 million. Cotton yarn, the principal domestic import, fell from 32,045 to 26,700 quintals due to short- age of supplies and to the fact that large quantities of this commodity for consump tion at Kweiyang were obtained direct from Wuchow instead of from Nanning as formerly. Cotton piece-goods also declined, the Shanghai variety being replaced by local hand-made cloth wherever possible. Other staple imports such as cement, cigarettes, and matches also fell away. Under exports coastwise, wood oil advanced from 7,256 quintals during 1937 to 24,915 quintals, aniseed oil from 54,186 to 219,767 kilogrammes, and paper wadding from 2,289 to 4,085 quintals. Black fungus main- tained its good market in Swatow, while aniseed star failed to recover its lost ground in Northern perts owing to the continued hostilities. Hides, leather, duck feathers, and doe skins largely found their way out by devious routes, while, owing to the shortage of motor boats and enhanced freights, sugar and beans were mostly shipped down river by junk. Melon seeds exhibited a further advance owing to an excellent harvest. The first rice crop was badly damaged by prolonged drought, but the second rice crop and all other cereal and fruit harvests were above the average.

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