Tue announcement by the Municipal Council that it had been able to secure, by private arrangement with the proprietors of the laud, the widening of the remaining portion of the Nanking Road between the Bund and the Szechuen Road, ata reasonable rate, is an indica. tion of what might be done towards the improvement of the Settlement did successive Municipal Councils only lose some of that apathy which has recently distinguished them; and did one or two of the larger lauded proprietors display that desire for improvement which might fairly be expected of them. In the instance of the Nanking Road we believe the first proposition came from the representative of the landlord, but unfortunately such proposals are rare; and the Council for some recondite reason have recently fallen into a policy of waiting in matters of public improvement for the first step to be taken by the representative of the ground. A glaring instance of this as prevented for many years to come the widening of the remainder of the Nanking Road, where we are informed the representative of the owner was quite prepared to advance the views of the Council for the widening of the rond, did that august body but think it worth its while to move a little in the matter. Not only in the Nanking Road, but in many other quarters of the Settlements, re-building has been frequent within the last ten yenrs, We have beard from many parties interested that they would have been happy to entertain any propositions from the Council for the improvement of the thoroughfares; and we can speak from experience that in many cases where such suggestions would have been readily accepted, the apathy of the Council, when the fact was brought to its notice, produced a feeling of disgust. If we look back for some years we shall find that affairs were not always so permitted to go on in aban-hazard mauner. If, with their lights, the early residents laid out the streets too narrow, it was because in their eyes there was no prospect of an important city occupying the site. The same natural and pardonable ignorance cannot be pleaded by our new generation of Municipal Councils. The growth of the Settlements is a thing occurring under their eyes, yet no provision except what chance throws into their laps has for years been made for extensions, We have hinted that the larger ground landlords are in a ensure to blame, and that one or two, did they really display that enlightened selfishness which is the best guarantee of success, could do nich to improve the present condition of matters. We quite concur in this view, and are quite willing to lay a considerable share of the blame upon their shoulders. Still we believe that the Council, did it really appreciate the necessity of action, would have influence with the larger proprietors and at all events we fail to see any good or sufficient reason why it has never tried, but has contented itself with waiting in every instance to be moved from without. What may be effected by energetic action, we may learn from Hongkew. The making of the Broadway may be said to have been the foundation of this rising locality. The Broadway was, however, the work of one single man, the late Pedro Loureiro, True he was unable to carry out the project himself, and like many men before, snw too far into maturity. The work he did lives, how-exer, after him, and though others have entered into his schemes and fortunes have been made, the public in the and luus had the advantage, The manner in which the proposed Seward Road lias been permitted to get into its present tangled mess is an instance of what inefficiency and indolence can do. We believe that there now exists no reason why the rond should nob be carried out, but that the Council do not trouble themselves; and what is true of the Seward Road is true of many other roads within Municipal limits. The fits of fussiness which now and then prevail at Kiangsi Rord do not do much, and generally end in smoke, or, what is worse, in mischief. What require amendment are the general traditions of the Council, and a feeling that it is for it to take the initiative in pablic improvements, and not drag unwillingly till opinion from without forces on it some action.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.