To the Editor of the Dear Sir,—It is a curious fact that only about the month of May do the public take the slightest interest in Municipal matters; during the summer months, it is, I presume, too hot to attend to anything but the purchase of Tea and Silk, at prices generally about 20 % over home figures, while the later months of the year are occupied in footing up the profits on the credit side of the ledger; any way, no one seems to keep their eyes open as to ti doings of the Council, although they make a great fuss at the annual rate-payers' meeting about having the weekly reports of their actions published in the papers.
In your issue of the 29th October, I seo a report of a meeting of the Council which was held on the 19th of that month, in which an offer from Mr. E. M. Smith to give up ground for a road from the Kiangse to the Canton-road was accepted by the former at an expense to the public of Tis, 2,050, and I should like to know how they intend to defend their action in the matter at the next land-renters' meeting. This new road runs parallel to, and within 150 feet of the Canton-road, and cannot in any way benefit the public in the slightest degree; while, on the other hand, it will greatly improve Mr. Smith's property, but more especially that belonging to a somewhat unknown Company, called the Shanghai Real Property Association.
It is rather remarkable that the first the public heard of this matter was from the printed report above alluded to; they are still without any information as to what quarter the idea originated in; was it from
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.