To the Editor of the Noxta-Cuina Dairy New Sin,—The British Government are spending millions of money and aerificing thousands of lives for an object so well-known, that it would be a work of supererogation to refer to it here. Europeans in Shanghai, with the exception of a favoured few, are heavily taxed and monstrously crushed with rents. Not only are they refused a Municipal vote, but it would appear that any scheme that would be likely to lessen the cost of living, is persistently and consistently voted down by those who hold and abuse power. Any progressive measure brought forward in the interests of the vast majority will probably meet the same fate as the Tramway scheme, as long as the Municipal franchise remains as it is. That being the case, it seems to me that. the time has now arrived, when some decisive action to reduce the franchise within common-sense limits, should be taken in order that those*who pay the taxes should have some voice in the Government of the Settlement. I venture to assert that in no other civilised part of the globe would the condition, as it prevails in Shanghai, be tolerated for a moment. Britishers, at all events, might appeal for an immediate change in the Land Regulations, to reduce the Municipal qualification say to Tls. 25, and, if these Settlements are to have Municipal self-government, Proxy voting will have to be restricted or abolished, the latter for preference. Such a gross abuse as that we have lately witnessed should be made impossible in the future. It is difficult to understand the attitude of the Council in declining to be burdened with more work, this attitude is inconsistent with progress. As the place grows so will the work of the Municipal Government; it is an argument. in favour of a larger Council. One wonders what has become of the old battle cry: "No taxation without representation With the usual trespasser's apologies, Tam, ete., "Tis, 48."
Bard August.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.