Shanghai, 23rd August, 1893.
Stm,—I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 21st July last enclosing translation of a despatch addressed to you by the Shanghai District Magistrate, requesting you call upon the Council to pay the amiral ground rent on certain land devoted to Roads and Streets within the Settlement.
This question has come up from time to time at intervals and I venture to refer you to a report upon the subject made by Messrs, J. Hughes and F. D. Cheshire who were appointed by the Consular Bary as a Special Committee to enquire into and report. thereon. This report dated 10th November 1882 was conimunicated to the Counci! on the 18th idem and says inter alia tha in their opinion "the proprietors of land within the Settlement must remain responsible for payment of the Goverament Land Tax on ssu portion of their property as hus been given up for Streets to the Municipality."
That is the practice which has always been observed in respect of such lands and Chinese Authorities must look to the regi tered owners for payment of the Government Tax outstanding, Thave the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Tous Macanxaor, Chairman. Nienonas J. Haxses Esy., H.B.M. Consul-General, Shanghai, ye.—The f Mowing letters are ordered to be published The Sronmous calling the meeting is taken og rea The Minutes of the last meet re read, confirmed, signed by the airman and passod for publication, Cash Statement for the past week is aube mitted and cheques for sundry accounts are ned.
Return of Prisoners apprehended and police daily reports for the past week are submitted, Gonerumen? Ground Rent on Roads.—The i lence is ordered to be Si 2ist July, 1893.
beg to Inn you herewith' transla-tiou of a despateh adilressed to me by the Shanghai District Magistrate, with reference to ground rent on certain land which has hech used for the purposes of road-making, and I shall he obliged if you inform me what action the Council proposes to take in this matter.
Shanghai, 15th August, 1893.
Sr,—I have received instructions from Messrs. J.C, Grant, Joseph Seymour, V. Vizenzinoviteh, R. W. Mustard, John Wilson, A. R. Bowman, Mrs. KO. Lindstrom, Brand and others, (Fo the owners of ce ewes Hongkew,' to write to you with reference to their properties. A piece of land in Hongkew is now, and has boon for some years used by anal certain portions of the land adjoining the the permission of the Council as a rifle range
Said rifle range belong to the persons above referred to. A fence has just been erected by the direction of the Council to enclose Une range, and this fence inelades portions ut land Belonging to my clients, am therefore instructed to request you to give directions for the removal of this fence. "Owing to the extension of the settlement, houses have been erected ey the properties of some of the above-named persons and the use of the land known as the rifle range for rifle practice has become a common danger, and a nuisance. Tan therefore also instructed to request you todiscontiuue the use of the land as a jill servant, Nicuonas J. Haxxes, range.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.