The French Municipal Report is a marvel of terseness and Incidity, covering only 24 pages; but details are supplied by a reprint of the Minutes of Council Meetings, and there are so clearly written and well-arranged that itis quite unnecessary to go over the ground again. The Report discloses a state of affairs which must be highly gratifying to the Ratepayers.
ramage has been extended; an iron bridge has been procured for the Yangking-pang (opposite Honan Road); gratn tous concessions and purchases of land have been arranged for the purpose of widening sundry streets; the Yang-king-pang Bund has boon nearly remade, and still the Council are able to effect a Jarge reduction of taxation. Chine houses are to be taxed to the extent only of Tls. 18,000 in 1875-6, against Tls. 18,736 levied in 1874-5; and only Tls. 8,000 is to be raised asa Nuisance and Lighting rate, instead of Tls. 9,144 raised last year.
We understand that an Assessment Com-comprising 4 Municipal Councillors eral foreign landholders, assisted by acme Natives having large interests in the Concession, is now, sitting. The result of will permit the Council tomake definite steps for the contemplated reduction, When the commission has finished its work, either the percentage will be reduced, or the taxes collected on valuation will be fixed under the real valuation ascertained by the commission, At any rate the Council contemplates to elimin the taxes progressively, every year, till they are in proportion with the Municipal wants, and expects this year to waive the collection of about Tls. 4,000 a 6,000.
The following precis exhibits clearly the atate of the finances, Credit Balance on the Ist Tis.
April, 1874. 34,627.54 Estimated Revenue for 1874-75 81,600.00
116,227.54 morality of the triumph of violence will not be consecrated, and it is with conidence that the cause hus been confided to the French Legation at Peking. It its support, lime, and patience that must of the way over which hed by M. de Gevfroy, Minister of France at Peking, after reading the memorial which the Council addressed to him."
The Council go on to regret that, for the firat time in ite existence, good under:
ing with the English Council hus disturbed. The most serious difference, resulting from te wish of the Intter to have the French Bund rati where it had encroached on the Yang-king-pang, has been settled Ly the recommen dation of the arbitrators that the statu quo be ninintained. 'I'he other matter, which not mentioned in the report, is of course the relative share to be borne in the cost of bridges over the Yang-king-pang. As the English Council have declined submit this to arbitration, there veins no chance of its being so easily settle The income for 1875-6 is at Tis, 127,374; and the expenditure at Tie. 120,360, which would leave a balance of Tis, 7,014 on the Slat March, 1876. The expenditure is divided into thr heads,—Seoretariat, is. 33,601; Public Works, Tls. 54,025; Police, Tis, 32,734. These figures exhibit an inorense, case, over the expenditure for 1874-6; the most marked being in Publio Works, on 18,000 were spent lat year, out of Tls. 30,000 allotted. Practi-ally, the large balance has greatly accrued becanise the expenditure on Public Works 4 alight, and it is to be reduced now toanormsl level by making up for lost time.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.