Council Meeting of znd August, 1875 Present:—Messrs. J. G. Purdon (Eh: Hart, Heyden, W. Kidner, 4. A. Krauss, F._W. Lemarchand, R. Mackenzie, Webb, and the Secretary.
The Summons calling the meeting was taken as read.
The Cash State was laid on the table and examined.
Dues on Merchandize Commutation,—The Chairm andum of what took place at a meeting between a Committee of the Consuls, represented by Messrs, Medhurst and Seward, and the Finance Committee, relative fo the 'Tavtai's commutation' for dues on goods passed through the Customs by Chines Chinese Sobtiers passing through the Settlement,—Read letter from the Senior acknowledging receipt of the Council's despatch, representing the conduct of the Chinese soldiers that had recently pasted through the Settlement, and stating that H. E, the Taotai had voluntarily expressed regret that the peace of the Settlement should have been disturbed, and promised to take steps to prevent a similar occur-future 1—Yang-king-pang.—Having arranged with the French Municipal Council for a new iron bridge, the Works' Committee considered it desirable to send the order home ut once, and asked the sanction of the Board to their doing so. They proposed to lighten the bridge so as it a more elegant appearance, if the Fairbairn Engineering Company thought it could be done with safety Repairs to the present wooden bridge would be commenced as soon as the est cost had been two Municipaliti Land Regulaticns.—Read letter from B.B.M, Consul, enclosing the following despatch from H.B.M.'s Minister Shanghai, 26th July, 1875.
Sim,—I beg to refer you to your despatch No. 55 of the 18th June, inclosing for my consideration two amendments of land regulatidus proposed at the last meeting of rateent of article XIX. appears to ly open to the objection that the hai has never been defined a3 to enable effect to be surely given to the provision introduced by the amendment. In one sense the Consul's district must be taken to signify whatever part of China is nearer to the port at- which he ix rationed than to any other Treaty Port, the Treaty requiring that British subjects charged with irregularity shall be ha nearest Consul. Such a readings might p inconvenient in the application of the amended article before me. However, I shall approve the amendment; a twelve-month will shew probably whether it need be modified or not.
The proposed change in the Municipal year appears to me to call for no remark, Your obedient servant, (Signed) Towas Francis Wape, W. H. Mepuvasr, Esq.
The Minutes of the previous 1 were passed for publication,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.