TERRIBLE CONDITIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17566, 7 September 1931, Page 5

TERRIBLE CONDITIONS

THE FLOODS IN CHINA 10,000,000 NEED RELIEF , ■ REPORT BY COMMISSION . (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press ; Assn.) (Received Sept. 7, 10 a.m.) . . SHANGHAI, Sept. 6: . The clearest picture yet drawn of the Hankow floods is contained in a statement from the National Flood Reljef Commission outlining the relief requirements. Preliminary estimates show that 10.000,000 will need succouring during the next six months, and 1,000,000 tons of foodstuffs will be necessary to carry the population through - .the winter. Hence America’s surplus wheat shipments of 4EO.CCO tons, purchased by the Nanking Government is considered to bo only half sufficient for the relief work. The Yanglse valley rice crop is' expected to yield but a third,of the usual, the de, ficiency representing 200,000,030 bushels. There will be a proportionate drop in vegetable crops.

The river is now steadily dropping, and pumping lias commenced. A hospital ship is outfitting shortly and leaving for up-river. Refugee camps in Shanghai are springing up everywhere, thousands of refugees arriving daily. < The Chinese estimate that. 1.000,000 persons were drowned by the bursting of the banks of the Yellow River at Kunghseing Honan. The Grand Canal is again threatening a vast area of .north Kiangsu. Reinforcements are rushing to the dykes.