JAPAN’S RECOVERY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11663, 30 October 1923, Page 6

JAPAN’S RECOVERY

FOREIGNERS AMAZED RAILWAYS AND EXCHANGES RESUME WORK. REBUILDING DIFFICULT. By Telegraph.—Presj Assn.—Copyright. (Sydney “Sun” Cable.) TOKIO, October '2B. The Yokohama exchange is resuming its silk operations on November Ist, and the Tokio rice exchange a month later. The main through railway line resumes to-morrow but some branch lines will probably bo altogether abandoned. At present rebuilding is impossible, because of the looseness of the ground, which renders cutting impossible. The railway and road repairs already carried out have amazed foreigners, who had not exj>octed reopenings on shore for at least six months. Tokio is digging herself out of the ruins, and is rushing temporary construction. At Yokohama the ruins still cover many corpses. The Press is resuming the political discussions on the question of manhood franchise.

A prominent official of the Foreign Office announces that Japan will be ready to resume the pourparlers with Russia aa soon as they are convinced that Russia will not force another deadlock.

FOOD NOT WANTED

SURPLUS OF FROZEN MEAT.

SOLD AT OUT RATES. KOBE, October 27. Kobe is the centre of activity for foreign relief work. During the earthquake period foreign residents raised A'40,000. The fine Oriental Hotel was commandeered for foreign refugees, and some thousand who flocked here during the disaster have mostly departed for their own countries, or elsewhere. The relief work is now drawing to a close, and the funds have run out. Mr R. G. Forster. British Consul-General, states that no more food supplies are wanted,, but blankets would be most useful, otherwise the best form of help would be monetary contributions. Kobe is filled with tourists, and all the hotels are crowded. A fight between Kobe and Yokohama for the capture of the silk trade has ended in victory for Yokohama. Kobe is overstocked with Australian frozen meat, which L now being sold at cut rates. It appears that immediately after the disaster a big stock of meat consigned to Hongkong was deflected to Yokohama and Kobe. It arrived in quantities beyond local demands, and the meat was offered to the Japanese Government, which declined, as they had sufficient. This meat has no relation to the relief supplies sent from Australia, which was given to the Japanese Relief Committees by Hongkong people. TYPHOID SPREADING DUE TO OVERCROWDING. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received October 29, 9.25 p.m.) W ASH IN GTON, Octobe r 28. A Red Cross cablegram from Tokio estates the epidemic of diseases is spreading dangerously, owing to the overcrowding. Weekly reports average 700 cases of typhoid "and other contagious diseases.

Food and clothing problems are becoming less acute, but the need of medical supplies and better housing remains great. About 780,000 persons aTe still being fed daily.