To the Editor of the ""NORTH-CHINA DAILY NEWS."
Sim,—I quite agree with the tenor of *Ratepayer's" letter in your column of Monday last. Unless there are very mnportant reasons to the contrary, the publ:
be made aware of the terms offered by the unsuccessful bidders for the Telephone Franchise, and not be tre sted to one-sided confidences.
The Council expressly advertised for hids for " thirty years' Franchise on certain specified terms; announced that such bids hud been obtained; and then accepted the off hich bid on a granting them terms ly more favourable than selves unfairly ith, but they doubt feel that any ement they might make in would be open t the sus} relish prejudice, and therefore maintain an enforced, if wise, silence Nevertheless the public ought to the questi Tt is but a few months ago that public opinion was raised to a high pitch of ind d, because the Government tact for the Athara bri jen firm, and it was only appeased when told that time was an all-important factor in the matter and that our Ameri bill in two-th own builders. this is essentially an Anglotlement, or rather, thanks te which we hope wil exist, anglo-American Settle. ment, and I, with many others, would lik to know on what principle the Counc defends its unpatriotic action of importing telephone materials and engineers from Sweden and allowing them twelve months' time to do work which Lam assured could he done under penalty by our own mai facturers and engineers in just one-half the time, Tam, ete., Fam Pray. 22nd February. yet she swayed dangerously from side to fide.
All such steam launches should be registered ta carry a limited number of passengers only. They should also be compelled to furnish a full supply. of life-belts so, as they have no room for As these steam Isunch com-are doing an increasingly good bus there is no reason why they should not he made to devote " portion of their s to the safety and comfort of their passengers.
Lam, ete., flat February.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.