Let me conclude these _introductory remarks with an allusion to the work of the Municipal Staff as a whole, but more particularly to the work of these members whose duties do not customarily bring them into the public eye. Nearly all of the Municipal Offices are to 'a certain extent under-manned at the present time, and the obvious consequence is that harder work falls upon those who remain. In this the Municipal Offices are not exceptional, and I refer to the point only so that I may have an opportunity of saying that in spite of such criticism as is from time to time inevitable the work of the Staff is creditable and satisfactory.
With this short address, ladies and gentlemen, I have pleasure in proposing Resolution IV.—That the Re port and Accounts for the year much pleasure in seconding this re-cribed in the Reports of the Engi-solution. neer and Overseer of Taxes. The CuargmMan—Resolution No. 4 There appears to be no end to the has now bosn proposed and second-activi of the Chinese builder ed and is upon for discussion. If and contractor; he seems to cover there are no remarks or questions the Settlement with blocks of I will now put the resolution. Will Chinese houses at a rate with which those in favour hold up their the road builder and Tax Collector hands? Against? Carried nem con. cannot keep pace. Nor is the supply exceeding the demand, for in Resolution V.—That the esti-many cases these blocks of houses mated expenditure for 1915, con-are occupied even before the build-tained in the Budget proposed by ing is actually completed. It is the retiring Council, together increasingly evident that the Set-with the recommendations attlement is more than ever a most tached thereto, be approved and popular place of Chinese residence. The Council's intentions with readopted, and that the Council be. gard to the vexed question of hereby authorized to impose, col-Opium Shop Licences, are, if noth-lect and recover the rates, taxes, ing else, at least upon a business dues and fees recommended basis. They have to recommend therein, and to raise, should it them the fact that the same course be considered expedient to do so, of treatment is proposed for retail a sum not exceeding Ts. 600,000, opium shops as was accorded to the opium-smoking houses seven years by the issue of debentures re-ago, namely, total extinction during deemable in not less than ten 'a period of two years from this and not more than fifty years March, the shops to be drawn for from date of issue and bearing inclosing at intervals of six months, terest at a rate not exceeding six 25 per cent. at a time. The first per centum per annum, for the drawing is to take place in June and purposes defined in the estimate the shops will be given three of Extraordinary Expenditure. months notice in which to close. Thus the last shop will cease to Mr. E. C. Pearce—Mr. Chairman, sell in March 1917. To the extine-Ladies and Gentlemen, I have now tion enthusiasts we say, We to propose the Budget Resolution as earnest as you are No. V, in terms which I shall not, in our desire to see the end read to you again, they being the of opium consumption in China, fixed annual formula, The loan but we are not going to be which the Council asks you to led by enthusiasm into committing authorize in this Resolution is Tis. an injustice." I should also state, 600,000. with regard to what has been The estimated income for 1915 published in the Annual Bud-for the first time in the history of get in regard to the British the Settlement has reached three Government's attitude—_ towards million taels, and this not due the opium question in Shanghai to any extraordinary change in the that His Majesty's Minister gave rates of taxation, nor to the addi-me no authority for the statement tion to any new source of income, and was not aware that it was be-but only to the steady increase in ing made, Since the Budget was the taxable area, to the steady issued, I have received a communi-development of rateable buildings, cation through His Majesty's Conand to the normal advance of resul-General stating that the stocks ceipts from licences, market fees, of opium in bond will be automatic and other recognized smaller cally sealed as soon as the last items of revenue. provinces, Kiangsi, Kiangsu, and The only new item, the Special Kuangtung, have, under the pro-Advertising Rate, is the result of visions of the Opium agreement, Resolution VI passed Inst year. been declared free of cultivation. The receipts from this source are If we think of it carefully this small, being estimated at only Tis. means very little as regard what 500, but I must point out that the we have to decide this afternoon, effect of the levy has been what for it is obvious that if opium is no was desired, namely, the removal Jonger grown in these provinces, and of advertisement hoardings from if the stocks of Foreign bonded residential localities. opium are automatically sealed, The receipts from General Muni-there will be no opium except the cipal Rate and particularly those floating balance to sell in the Settle-from Chinese Rates are entitled to ment, and consequently there will a special word of comment. We be no applications for licences; in estimated last year that we should other words the opium controversy receive from this source Tis. will for us be automatically termin-730,000, the actual receipts have ated, and we may well wish that it been Tls. 774,000 and our estimate for 1915 is Tls. 825,000. The ex-'As regards other licence fees, we ended December 31, 1914, be paseed.
Mr. Wuits-Coorer—Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I have pansion is certainly phenomenal and follows directly upon the pheno omenal increase in the number of Chinese houses erected, as des-propose no change except a modification in the schedule of motor-car licences. We have received a communication from the principal gar-inal from
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.