CHANGING CHINA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19944, 31 October 1934, Page 8

CHANGING CHINA

SIGNS OF POLITICAL UNITY STABILITY RETURNING There are apparent in China to-day signs of a political unity which has not existed since the revolution, about *23 years ago, and with it will come a new economic stability and a national policy which will bring about a new China, accoring to Miss Nessie Moncrieff, who has just returned after more than four years in Peking as a representative of the New Zealand Young Women’s Christian Association. Miss Moncrieff told a reporter of “The Timaru Herald” yesterday* that in the past the Government of China had been left in the hands of one class, and the people had not taken much interest in it. Now. however, under the leadership of General Chaing Kai Shek, a former president, and head of the Military Department, they were beginning to study the country’s problems as a result of the spread of education to the masses. Banditry, civil war and over-taxation had done a great deal to break down the economic system, and it would take some time to build it up again. “In the West, people are inclined to think of China only as a home of bandits and civil wars, and that is probably due to the sensational news that is sent out, but there are many more interesting things going on in China at present. Western people really need educating a good deal regarding China,” remarked Miss Moncrieff. Eighty-five per cent of the Chinese were farmers, and at present they were being educated up to increase the production of their land and live at a higher standard. Speaking of important changes which had come over China in recent years, Miss Moncrieff said that 15 years ago. irrespective of the International Concessions, there were 100 miles of motor roads in China, but to-day there were 40,000 miles of good roads. “China seems to be jumping from the wheel barrow as a means of transport to the aeroplane, and I have actually seen on a country road a train of wheel barrows with a mail and passenger aeroplane flying overhead. They have changed from the primitive to the modern without wasting time on the intermediate stages. China is far ahead of New Zealand so far as air services are concerned.”