The new garden upon the foreshore of the Souchow Creek was officially opened yesterday, when a large number of residents, principally Chinese, responded to the in vitation of the Municipal Council to be at the ceremony. Thi was rather unceremunivus than The Consular representatives of Great Britain, France, Denmark, Italy and the United States, together with several members of the Municipal Council and the general public, avaited the arrival of the Taotai outside the gates for a quarter of an hour and afterwards waited a further thirty-five minutes inside before the Tao! in an appearance. Upon his an was met by the Consuls and members of the Municipal Council present and shook hands with some of them. His interpreter explained that the delay in arrival was due to the Taotai having been detained by the arrival at his yamen of the Cuinmanderin-Chief of the province, who is on a visit to Shanghai from Sungkiang.
After the introductions had been performed, Mr. Macgregor, the Chairman of the Council, addressing the Taotai, said As your Excellency is aware, this was previously a piece of waste ground. The Municipal Council have now laid it out as garden for the use of people of all nations, Chinese and foreigners alike, in accordance with rules that have already received your Escellency's approval. Knowing that your Excellency has always taken a cordial inter rest inthe maintenance of good relations with foreigners, we have invited you to take part in the uponing of this garden for the use of every person, and now I ask your Excellency to say that it is open.
The Tavtai replied in Chinese to the effect that he hoped the garden would stand a million years, that he knew the Municipal Council had expended a great deal of patience and money in making the garden, and that he himself intended to present a tablet to be hung somewhere about the garden, with an inscription signifying that men of all nations could joi in rejoicing over such a place.
Mr. Macgregor replied that the Council would be very glad to receive the tablet.
The Taotai and his immediate attendants were then regaled with champagne in one of the pavilions, and shortly afterwards returned to the vai The Town Band played selections during the proceedings.
The total cost of the garden, which is 8 mow 2 fun in extent, is about Tls 8,000. It is bounded by dwarf red brick walls surnisunted by iron railings and is laid out with walks and grass plots containing flower beds. It has also three small pavilions which approximate to the Queen Anne style in design, and will be used as quarters f and gardeners employed in den and the older Public In the centre, raised on stone steps, is " sundial, the base of which is mented by a ferveious-looking dragon by Mr. G. R. Corner. The plans of the garden were drawn in the utlice of the Municipal Surveyor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.