In anticipation of the Ratepayers' Mveting next Tuesdxy the Municipal Council has issued for general information a pamphlet containing the tender of the China and Japan Telephone Ca. for the proposed telephone service franchise, together with the correspondence on' the subject. It consists of some thirty pages, and a summary of it may be convenie The Company sent in its te der he 30th of March this year, the principal conditions being Franchise for 30 years.
Council to have option of terminating same after 15 years on paying for outlay, with interest at!0 per cent.
For an aerial service the Company's rates to be for business subscribers with mile radius, and private subscribers within two miles Tls. 70. For a combined aerial and underground service the rates to be Tls. 80.
Estimated cost "ca out Company's scheme £20,010 to £25,000.
The Council having received the tenders for the concession, deferred the matter for Unree months to allow of certain enquiries at home. In August the Telephone Gompuny wrote avki g whether there was any prospect of a decision, and compl delay. Soon after Mr. Grewing, for of the Company who had Shanghai to arrange the matter, sent at a speci we of the Con of the massed! various the outcome the 22nd of Ai Council to give 12 months' notice of 1 of 15 years; no given, concession t0 continue for another 15 years. guarantee of elficieney to be given by the Company.
This letter the Council dvd as an ultimatum especially as ie concluded with on that, Father than accept cer-to be woed, the would abandon the business. The set out thole proposal with the reply was to the fullow-
Terms of purchase—Must submit to London ney—Deeline to submit to arbiter. tion i complaints, Compulsory Servi pany have the right of refusing any able applicant.
He further suggested a clause the Telephone Company in respect. of the operations of any tramway or similar an. dertaking, and on the Lth of September definitely formulated it as follows So thit, if the Council willing to under. take that a clause I be inserted in any agreements which may be entered into in the future with a Tramway or orber Camps y providing that any ulterations rendered necessary to the T: lephone system by their works, shall be paid for by them, and that the cost of similar alterations made in the interest of the Electric Light Department. shall be paid for ina similar manner by that Department, there appear to be bat two questions remaining for settlement—viz., that of repurchase and that of arbitration in the case of non-efficiency. il replied chat the gin the responsibil y of ing such matters, The oorrespe closes with the following specific questions from Mr. W. Stuart Harrison, who had taken up the correspondence after Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.