Lively meeting that at the Sailors' Home. The philanthropic debenture-holders who cast their bread upon the waters finding 10 per cent dividends after many days, and quite properly resuscitating their dormant scrip. The pinnacle of prosperity seems to have been reached, however. "Balance in hand, but more likely to be eaten up than added to. Want to make the Home rent-free; put Jack up more cheaply and comfortably. Excellent idea, but how to do it? Getting up a public subscription would only shift the burden from the backs of the public as debenture-holders to the public as the public. But there doesn't seem to be any particular reason for this. The wharf frontage rent pays 10 per cent on the debentures, and that is fully the current rate on Shanghai public investments now. If it is desired to pay off the debenture-holders, capit-aliso the rental of the frontage. That, with the balance in hand, would about do it, and then the Home would-be free.. But as the. frontage pays the dividend, it is-practically rent free now.
Commendable movement that of temper-* ance among sailors, but slightly mistaken idea to make the Sailors' Home its headquarters. Rather suchlike turning a boarding-house for all classes into a refuge for the Jack who wishes to flee temptation anda penitentiary for the man who likes: his glass of grog or his beer. The motion was well-meant, but the discussion which followed amply demonstrated its impractic ability. If it were passed, it would probably tend far more to the abuse of liquor, and irregularity of behaviour, than is the case while the boarders have access at their own discretion to a common bar, Little incidents such as we occasionally hear from Maine, might crop up. Stringer goes down to Maine; good-hearted old folks there fear he will miss his accustomed. glass, supply him from private bottle frisky young folks wouldn't, have the oldsters know it, but—private bottle again; masters and servants; servants and. masters—everybody playing hide and seek with bottles of corn whisky. Constable of the Home evidently does not side with the movement either; might improve on his recent speculation in tavern holding by aiding the circulation of private, gin bot-ties. If it came out, he would be'told to stop it; that would be all. That nasty spot called for a little harder scouring—or scolding.
People don't talk as if they had made up their minds about the Tramway Scheme, How could they? itis hardly yet before them in a way to becriticised. The Bund scheme will of course go on; we get two good things out of it—a grand public improvement and an eligible public investment and posterity will have to pay its share, The plan of a 40-foot road independent of the present bund, does away with much of the objection to the tramway going past the Settlement, and it would seem well to give running powers to any reasonable scheme for the improvement of land communications, It la the thin end of the wedge for railways, and as thé'Settlements have made a few rifts in the plank of Chinese prejudice already, here is the place to insertit. Vested interests in cargo-boats and wheelbarrows may be affected by it but the former very slightly, we fancy. Anything to mitigate the nuisance of our narrow thoroughfares being crowded by the primitive and awkward unicycle ought to be welcomed, particularly by those whose business requires the frequent employment of traps. This is what people are saying in a general way; their remarks may be more particular when they know more, The Chinese butchers are getting tired of meat seizures; but as people read of the energy and watchfulness with which the Inspector of Markets prevents bad meat from being sold, they attack their savoury joint with confidence, and refuse to sympathies with the victims of Municipal persecution. Pending judgment in the case, the butchers have been doing as they please. While on this, we may ask whether the Council can't extend their censorship from meat unfit for human food to liquors unfit for human drink? Grogshop
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.