Total—543 votes Ratepayers present—279.
Mr. W. G. Bayye—t! is now tea minutes Past the our. Twill ask Me. HES. Wilkinson to take the chair. There necessity to put it to the vote as Mr. Wilkinson took the chair at the last meeting.
Mr. Wilkinson having taken the chair said:—The business before the meeting is the consideration of Resolution IX, which is, "'That the action of the Couacit in ing the time within which tenders f construction and working of a system of tram: ways in Shenghai may be in until the 30th of. June next he, and is he ey confirmed, and that the Council be, and they ave hereby invested with the like power of ncceptins any of such renders and of settling the terms on which tramways may be constructed and worked, as was given to the Council by 2 solution 3 passed at the special meeting of Ratepayers held on the 8th day of Octonor last with regard to the tenders therein mentioned."
Resolution IN therein referred to was, "That the Council be, and is hereby request ed and authorised to consider such offers or tenders as may be submitted before the next annual meeting, for the construction and working of tramways in Shanghai, and that they be authorised to accept any of the seid offers and to settle the terms on which the tramways may be constructed and worked, including, if thought expedient, an option on the part of the Municipality to take over the undertaking after a certain time, either on payment or free of charge, Provided that the Council shall not ba authorised to eonstruct or work the tramway 4 a Municipal undertaking, nor to pledge thy Municipality to take over the scheme, or to mak ment to the promoters or owners ceiving special permission from the Ratepayers."
To the resolution an amendment was moved, and that amendment is that the following words be added to Resolution IX.
"But that the incoming Council shall the Meeting on behalf of the Motor Car forthwith consider the proposals put and, if they decide in favour of motor, grit to the said Company, on such eondli-Tions as to the Council shall seem proper, for three years from the, 30th September next, conse for the sole right of running motor omnibuses for hire, and further extend the time within which tenders for the eonstru tion and working of tramways may be se in till the expiration of the license granted. The proposals of the Motor Car Cv. to be put before the Council im writing within thee days from this date."
Tt was moved and carried that the consideration and discussion of this matter should be adjourned, and it stands adjourned now for the consideration of this meeting.
Mr. W.G. Bayye, Chairman of the Municipal Council, said:—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, we have met here to-day to resume the discussion adjourned from the 11th March on Resolution IX. as submitted at that meeting, referring to the question of Tramways as stated in that resolution and to the further consideration of certain proposals by the Motor Car Company in the amendment to the Resolution proposed by Mr. R. M. Campbell. You will recollect no doubt that in moving the adjournment of that meeting it was Mr. Drummond's intention that the Council should be enabled to la before the Ratepayers a statement in reference to the Motor Car Company's scheme, and the Chairman of the Council stated, in asking for an extension of the time of adjournment, that it would be necessary for the Council to get a report by the Engineer and other details with a view to placing the Ratepayers in a position to judge themselves as to the advisability of taking this Mentor Car scheme into consideration and tha, in the words of the amendment, the Council should jurtive'th consider the proposal put before the meeting on behalf of the Motor Car Company, ete.. ete. But. sir, isinee the 11th March the Council and the Ratepayers have learned that the under-[standing in the minds of most of us, on which that secting was adjourned, ' was Insed upon a misapprehension of the facts. We have since leoraed that it is not possible for the promoters of the Motor Car Company to make public the details of their proposals bee: doing they might be ing competition and enabling others before the Council more favourable is no doubt ink, to be re put forward age an earlier st 2 proceslings, since, if the matter [were not to be lete tothe Ratepayers to decide on upon its merits, it would jb-en extremely simple for the Cou reply to Mr. Campbell on the Lth that any proposals he might have to submit would necessarily be taken into the Council's consideration at the same time as runway ten fers were con dered, that is aft r the 39th June. You will recollect, however, that the Council was distinctly asked to consider the Motor Car "Company's proposals forthwith, and it was for this re U think, that Mr. Drummond very properly called an adjournment,—in order that the facts and details of this new scheme might be considered before the Ratepayers directed the Council or declined to direct the Council, in thi. sense. You will recollect also that the net result of Mr. Campbell's amendment would amount to postponing the question of tramways for three years, during which time the Motor Car Company would be granted a! franchise for the use of the streets. From the correspondence which his passe! between the Council and the Motor Car Company since the 11th March it will have been observed that the Company now concurs in the Council's suggestion that their scheme should await consideration until the 30th June. That appears to dispose of the question of immediate consideration as set forth in Mr. Campbell's original amendment. I think it is extremely necessary for me to draw your attention particularly to Resolution IX, and more especially still to the wording of the Resolation passed by the Ritepayers in October Last, under which authority was first given to the Council to consider and accep way tenders. It has been freely stated and of mans and Ratepayers, that that is, T believe, an impression in the minds authority y wds the Council to accept Some one o¥the offers or tenders to be submitted. This, however, is an impres-ion founded on error, which should be removeil from the public mind. Tue actual wording of the Resolution as it stands on record is "That tie Council be and is hereby ryuested aid authorised to consider such offers or tenders as may be submitted before the next meeting for the construction i i hai, and said offers and to settle the terms ea which the tramways ai may be constructed and worked." You will note, Sir, the essential difference between the wording of the first and the second clauses of this Kesolution. The Council is requested to consider tenders that is a mandate from the Ratepayers. The Council is further "mthorivd to accept any of the said offers. That clearly leaves the question of eeeptance to the discretion of the council, and the Council, using this discretion with open minds, would naturally take into consideration all' facts, conditions and circumstances affecting the question; more especially must "the—financial bearings of the tenders under consideration be a matter for close scrutiny and combat son, and it must be obvious that in mal made by the Motor Car Company or any other Company would necessarily affect the consideration of tramway tenders. If, for offer submitted by the Motor Car Company the sake of argument, we suppose that the
were such, on its merits and under suitable guarantees, as to make it immediately and evidently of financial benefit to the public, it is evident that the Council's consideration of tramway tenders must _necessarily be affected by such an offer. To put the matter briefly, the Council, if this meeting passes "the Council's Resolution as it stands, will consider such tramway tenders as may be received and will accept one of them, if after mature investigation and due weight, given to all facts bearing on the question, there be any which, inthe Council's opinion, calls for acceptance. The Council therefore would naturally feel bound to weigh carefully any proposals for rapid transit of whatsoever description which may be submitted before 30th June.
almost wu necessary for me to add more on this subject, Sir. I would earnestly appeal to the Ratepayers to bear in mind the remarks male by my predecessor in office when laying this Resolution before you_on the 1th March. I would ask the Ratepayers of Shanghai if, as I believe, they have made up their minds that a sys-tent of rapid transit in the Settlement is de-lo, to confirm the action taken by the in calling for tramway tenders under the Ratepayers' instructions and to leave in the Council's hands the acceptance or non-acceptance of one of those tenders frer due consideration given to all local view expressed on behalf of last year's nit I entirely' concur in the Council by Mr. Kinnear that the "good name and credit of this community are in no slight measure at stake in this matter, and for this reason the Council, whatever may be the particular views of the members, would urge uy the Ratepayers the importance of ratifying their own actions and of adopting the Resolution as it now stands without any amendments whatsoever. In conclusion, I would assure this meeting on behalf of my colleagues and myself, that it is our intention, if the authority given to our predecessors is confirmed to-day, not to accept any tramway or other tender unless as a Council we are fully satisfied that it offers, from general and financial points of view, a satisfactory solution of the rapid transit question in Shanghai.
The Cramsax—Will any gentleman speak on the amendment? It isan amendment before the meeting. Strictly speaking, all those who spoke to the amendment at the last meeting are precluded from speaking to it at this meeting, but it will occur to you that circumstances have so changed that to enforce that rule might work a hardship, and therefore I suggest to you, gentlemen, that the meeting will hear again those who have already spoken to the amendment. If this is the wish of the meeting, that it be so, those in favour will say "aye "Phe suggestion was adopted unanimously.
The CuarruaN—If there is no person to speak, I will now put the amendment to the meetin; Mr. R. M. Canpsect and Mr. W. V. Dav xonp both rose to speak at the same time.
Mr. W. V. Drvwstoxp—I am not going to speak on this. If Mr. Campbell will speak to the amendment then I will sit lown.
Mr. R. M. Caprert—You have heard what Mr. Bayne, the Chairman of the Council, has said regarding passing the resolution as it stands without any amendment all, and I sincerely hope—
Campbell, that you should be a Little more The Hrecgenipevn f I suggest, Mr. to the centre of the hall, so that everyone can hear you.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.