LIFE IN THE EAST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 177, 27 June 1936, Page 2

LIFE IN THE EAST.

CHINA INLAND MISSION. A visitor to Palmerston North on Thursday in the course of a short tour through the North Island, ltev. J. Yorkston, of the China Inland Mission, had some interesting information to impart regarding life in Kwei Chow, the province in which his branch of the mission is stationed. Kwei Chow, said Mr Yorkston. in ail interview, was one of *l4 or 15 provinces in the inland of China and was worked by the mission from its base at Kopu. The mission was an international and interdenominational one and included workers from all over the world. At present there were 20 churches in the province, and it was interesting to note that these did not rely on the support of the mission for their continuance, but were entirely self-supporting. The visitor stressed the fact that the mission itself did not make any direct appeal to the people for funds, but relied on God, Whose work they were doing, to. provide for them in this respect. Regarding the nature of the land and the facilities for transport in Kwei Chow, Mr Yorkston said that though the country was rough and mountainous, there had been great improvements made in regard to f lic opening up of the land by the construction of motor roads. It was surprising the progress that had been made in this direction, and at present there vi as a wood road from Kwei Chow to Kwangsi, many hundreds of miles away. In another direction there was the development of the airways, said the missionary. These, too, had shown wonderful progress in recent years and there nere regular services running now winch reduced travelling time by 10 days and more over some routes. Chiang lvaishek, the Chinese general, would make use of these on liis tours, and his example was being followed bv many others. . , , In reply to a question as to whetlnr troubleLvas experienced with bandits or Communist soldiers, Mr lorkston said that since liis absence from the mission he had received a letter advising that an army of several thousand “Reds” had passed through the province and had forced eittiy to the mission houses, removing oi destiny ing practically everything of any. valueFortunately they had not set. fire to the buildings. Recalling the incMent wherein the two missionaries, M. Bosshardt and Mr Hayman, the latter a former resident of New Zealand had been captured by a band of Reds, the visitor pointed out that theie v as a very real difference between the Communist soldiers and the actual bandits. The latter made robbing their living and did little else. Often they would give up their mode of life and join the Government s army forces but they nearly always tired of , * and as often as not would seize their first opportunity to resume their former occupation. The ‘Reds came in armies, occupying the countiy for months at a time, and during the. visit to Kwei Chow he had been told that three towns had been practically destroyed. On one occasion the missionaries had been forced to absent themselves for over two months until n band had moved on from their settlemeut. . , • Tn referring ngnin to tlio in cmHing from Place to place, Mr Yo,baton stated that, resembling the old English feudal system, construction work on the roads was done by forced labour each man wo'king so many days per week. The officers in control we r e generally Chinese engineers who had been trained in America, hut sometimes an American would visit the scene of the work to make an inspection. , , “Attempts have been made to extend the country’s railways, but 1 feel sure that the future will see road and air transport the safest, cheapest and most reliable forms of communication,” said the missionary in conclusion.