CONDITIONS IN CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1929, Page 5

CONDITIONS IN CHINA

N.Z. MISSIONARY’S OBSERVATIONS. • V AUCKLAND, October 22. ; On 18 months’ furlong after' spending six years in various Mission stations in China and Hong-Kong, Mass M. A. Jennings, of Dunedin, returned,, to. New Zealand t by;the Ma'rama, wh'cn arrived at Auckland from Sydney today. Miss Jennings is, attached'.to the Church- Missionary Society and her time in the East has been principally devoted to teaching the Scriptures in the Chinese” vernacular in the various: Mission schools. L;' ; •’ Miss Jennings alluded to the recent drought in Hong-Kong. So'Acute was the shortage of rain that steamers arriving from overseas brought supplies of water', which was pumped into tanks. At the time of her departure ip; July, there was only a month’s water supply left in the' reservoirs and the ,doctors were fearing an outbreak of tropical diseases. However, rains came in time to prevent this. • •. - • “Hong-Kong, compared with China proper, is more or less quiet,” Miss Jennings said. “We are under British rule and the troubles of the revolution affect us only more or less indirectly. China is still in a state of unrest, but the people are now fighting among themselves instead of quarrelling with foreigners. Only time can bring political peace to the counfry. “Christianity is gaining ground in China,” Miss Jennings said. “However, a great deal still remains to be done in the direction of fighting down prejudice. The people i are still terribly superstitious, but they are searching for a faith oh which they can depend. Western civilisation is spreading in China, particularly around the Coast. Already there are a large number of Chinese girls with bobbed hair. Very few of them as yet have taken to European clothes.” Miss Jennings will stay for some time in Auckland, before leaving to visit relatives in the South Island.