CHINA.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 20, 18 October 1845, Page 3

CHINA.

The Singapore papers contain extracts from Hongkong papers to the end of June. Tiie trade cf Hongkong is decreasing, it being positively asserted that there is less trade than there was in 1843. The reason of this, is the arbitrary conduct of the government, or rather of the Governer, and the vexatious regulations of the native traders, who now shun the port. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company had established an agent at Hongkong, who had given uotice that from the first September, a steamer would be dispatched every month to meet the overland mail. The Emperor of China, had assented to the erection of churches at the five ports j but had issued a very peremptory decree against at tempts to travel into the interior for the purpose of converting the Chinese. One of the most dreadful accidents that ever occurred, took place in Canton early in June. A theatre, in which there was a crowded audience, was* reported to be on fire, when the people naturally made a rush to get out ; the theatre was situated at the bottom of a small yard, to which the only access was by a narrow lane, they were met by persons from the town endeavouring to get into the yard to see the fire; the passage by this means got jammed up, and those who were in the yard could not get out, and the theatre and adjoining buildings were burnt round them, and the consequence was that twelve hundred and fifty seven persons were killed, and two thousand one hundred wounded.