PRICES OF COMMODITIES CURRENCY EXCHANGES INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS AND GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS IN KWANGTUNG PROVINCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006000600008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 28, 2008
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: February 24, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/02/28: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006000600008-4
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
CONFIDENTIAL
NOFORN
SUBJECT Prices of Commodities, Currency
Exchanges, Industrial and Agricultural
Conditions, and Government Regulations
in Kwangtung Province
This material contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
ing of the Espionage laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorised person 1s prohibited 25X1
by law.
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 24 February 1955
NO. OF PAGES 3 25X1
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT All DEFINITIVE,
THE APPRAISAL OP CONTENT IS TENTATIVE,
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. in Tou-men (N 23-32, E 116-44), Kwangtung Province, 25X1
the Chinese CommunIsove nment would lend JMP 18,000 on each hundred catties
of grain. The purchase of pens, papers, and stationery to supply two children 25X1
in school amounted to JMP 80-90,000. Monthly family expenses ran to at least
several hundred thousand JMP. Rent in Canton was JMP 100,000' per month.) A
Singer sewing machine cost JMP 2,100,000; a dead cow was sold for JMP 400,000;
it cost,JMP 50,000 to make a black cloth shirt and goods were not readily
available; vegetables cost JMP 150,000 per catty; and duck eggs cost JMP 650
each. A wedding cost a minimum of HK$1,500 and a funeral cost JMP 3,000,000.
2. The following currency exchanges were made in Kwangtung Province during the
early part of 1954: HK$300 - JMP 1,281,000; US$15 - HK$84.50; more than HK$500
- JMP 2,000,000; HK$455 - JMP 1,870,000; US$10 - JMP 234,000; HK$300 -
JMP 1,242,500; HK$4oo - JMP 1;500,000-
3. In Szup'ing, (0934/1627) Kwangtung Province, 50-60 persons joined together to
form a shoe manufacturing concern, each putting in $200,000 [sicJ as capital
and borrowing the remaining necessary funds from the bank. The Government
ordered, purchased, and sold the shoes manufactured there. Because the early
1954 season was a slow one, sales were light and working days werl irregular.
Sometimes the laborers worked 10-20 days and sometimes 8-10 days.
4.
Labor unions were strongly organized;
one person returning)
as a
25X1
laborer could not obtain permission to
find only temporary work.
join a labor union and consequently could
5. A labor cooperative would lend money to poor families; however, it was rare that
a family with a member overseas received a loan. In Ch'ih-k'an (N22-20, E 112-36),
money was borrowed from the bank to pay for 8. funeral; and the head of the farmers'
association, who was at the same time chief of the village, and nine other persons
had to sign the request. The cooperative in Shihch'iao Hsiang (N 22-56, E 113-22)
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STATE ARMY NAVY AIR FBI AEC
(NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field dish bs$on by "#".)
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CONFIDENTIAL
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took charge of the postal business for the district and delivered mail in the
village. The salary of a worker in a cooperative was JMP 80-90,000.
A small machinery plant in Canton
6
.
was for sale for HK$ 1,400. A barber's helper in Shuihsiyu 3055 6007/0962)
worked hard and earned only enough money for cigarettes.
7. Four acres of land were allotted by the Government, which collected such a rent
that the produce from the land was not enough to supply one person's needs.5
A member of the military service was allotted five acres of poor land, which his
family was allowed to rent out. Villagers without a place to live were allotted
housing, and for persons who wished to rent their houses it was therefore difficult
to find tenants. The government wanted farmers to plant rice and to utilize all
the land. Some farmers therefore planted rice instead of the sugar cane they had
planned to plant. Records were kept of the work done by each persgn. Villagers
in Chiaoli (5414/0519) received good profits from raising oysters. It was
necessary to have an ox to ,oin a mutual farming organization. Each shih (4258)
produced 6-7 to (5012) of grain and the tax on three shih was 16 10.7
8. A government regulation stated that a primary school student would be graduated
after four years of study. Each semester had 19 weeks. It cost JMP 1,200,000
- 1,300,000 to go to middle school. One year of instruction in sewing, includ-
ing tuition, cost JMP 1,000,000.
9. A new law permitted males to marry at 20, females at 11. Marriage might not
take place if the age requirement were not met. Dissolution of marriages already
consummated might be obtained on these grounds.
10. A young man who was registered in his native village instead of in the city of
Canton who wanted to go to Hong Kong would not be issued a permit by the hsiao-
tsu (1420/4809) in his village, because he was healthy and educated.
1. This figure was considered high
2. There is no indication as to whether the figure given referred'to days per
month.
3.
25X1
25X1
No indication was given of the frequency 25X1
of payment.
4, industry in Canton is primarily hander 25X1
addition, one must live in Canton City in order to work there.
without capital there
can be no profits in business.
5. I ~11 the country people are in
difficulties
6. There is some implication) that the
villagers raised oysters as a sideline.
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7. Comment. Shih (4258) presumably means acre) although the word for 25X1
acre is mou 3965). It is. not known how many catties or pounds there are in
a to (5012).
8J Comment. It is assumed that there are two semesters per school 25X1
CONFIDENTIAL
NOFORN
Approved For Release 2008/02/28: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006000600008-4
 Approved For Release 2008/02/28: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006000600008-4
Approved For Release 2008/02/28: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006000600008-4