CHINA AWAKENING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18761, 18 July 1935, Page 9

CHINA AWAKENING

ROAD-BUILDING SCHEMES M ONEY FROM LOTTERIES The opinion that China Was gradually awakening and beginning to adopt Western methods and customs was expressed by Mr. H. 15. Dickson, a. lormer New Zealand resident, who returned to Auckland b.v the- Wunganella. after an absence of 92 years in ,'Shanghai, where lie held the position of branch manager, lor Northern China of the Shell Oil Company, Limited. Mr. Dickson said one of the most striking instances ol Westernisation was tlie increasing use of the motor car as a means of - transport. Imports of cars were steadily rising, and at present the market was almost- equally shared by English and American manufacturers. American cars were popular in the back country, where the roads were very bad, while most of the cars seen in tlie cities were of British origin. A few European cars were sold every year. “During all the time I was in China I did not see a- Japanese motor car,” said Mr. Dickson. Reports that 'the Eastern market was being swamped with cheap Japanese ears frequently appeared in overseas newspapers, but Mr. Dickson said lie bail not heard of one of these machines being imported to China. Most of the roads were very rough,but Mr. Dickson stated that the Nanking Government had recently organised a series of quarterly State lotteries, the proceeds of which were devoted to the construction of modem macadamised highways! and extensive, well-equipped airports. In this way a system of modern arterial roads was being constructed. The depression was by no means over in China, said Mr. Dickson, the silver policy of the United States having adversely affected business conditions. There, seemed a likelihood, however, that there would he some improvement before the end of the year.