At the meeting of the Council held in the Council Room, 17, Kiangse Road, Shanghai, on Monday, the 20th January, 1879, at 9.30 o'clock a.m.
Present:—Messrs. J. Hart (chairman), Hiibbe, E. G. Low, R. Mackenzie, and the Secretary.
The Minutes of the previous meeting are read, confirmed, signed by the Chairman, and passed for publication.
The Cash Statement, for the week ending 18th instant, is submitted, and cheques for sundry accounts are signed.
Statement of Accounts for 1878 submitted.
Draft Budget for 1879 submitted. Decided to have it printed at once and circulated for inspection.
Provision to be made for supplying Uniforms to the whole of the Volunteer Corps.
Firing Crackers.—Letters submitted, com-pialing of the annoyance caused by the firing of crackers by natives, and requesting the Council nct to grant the latter permission to do so at China New-Year.
Decided to reply that permission is generally given for fourteen days at China New-Year, but that this year the time will be limited to seven days, and care taken that residents suffer as little annoyance as possible during that period.
Fire Department.—Letters from Secretary of Fire Commission submitted, asking the Council to appropriate at least Tls. 3,000 for the Department in their Budget for 1879, asa great deal of the old hose still requires to be replaced, and recommending that provision should also be made for anew firewall in Hongkew.
Decided to accede to both requests.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.