PROGRAMME, Marck 9.
A Monicrpan Notification in this issue contains the official Resolutions to be submitted to the Ratepayers' Meeting on March 20, and reminds the commanity that only a week remains in which notice can be given of additional motions to be brought before that meeting. No time, therefore, should be lost in considering carefully the contents of the Council's programme and in preparing other resolutions on subjects on which it is desirable that, an expression of opinion should be forthcoming to serve as a direct mandate or a guiding principle for the new Council. The publication of the Municipal Budget for the coming year has prepared Rate-payors for increased taxation, and it is unnecessary to go over the ground covered at the time when we dealt with the Estimates seriatim. Briefly put, the question at issue is whether, having decided that a certain standard must be maintained in matters affecting the public welfare, the community is prepared to meet increasing expenditure by corresponding additions to existing taxation. From to time an adjustment of expenditure as between the venous houses be reduced by one quarter from July 1, 1908, or from such other early date and in such manner as may appear advisable to the Council for 1908-9." But as we have already indicated and as is now confirmed by the correspondence published in another column, the intention of the Council, subject to the approval of Ratepayers, is to make the same or a similar reduction at short intervals in order: to effect the complete suppression of opium houses in the Settlement within two years. There is every reason for desiring a comprehensive discussion on the subject, and by leaving room for an. Amendment in the sense of the undertaking given to the Shanghai Missionary Association the Council clean invites debate. It is to be hoped, however, that the brevity of the original Resolution will be reproduced in the discussion, and that giment will be confined to what or is not practical politics i dealing with the suppression of the opium houses rather than be allowed to range over the whole field of the opium question. In this connexion it is permissible to call attention again to the unsatisfactory nature of the reports that continual-the Empire regarding the prog-ess ly reach us from various parts of
of the opium exmpaign—re: orts confirmed, it may be remarked, by the inquiries made by a writer in items may required, _and "The Chinese Recorder." We should for this reason each year's "sti-|be unwilling to see the efforts of mates call for close investigation;|the Anti-Opium League exhaust but on broad lines it is evident thnt the Settlement hus already reached a stage in its history when it begins to outgrow simultaneously' many provisions that sufficed for its carlier requirements and stands in need of a largely enhanced revenue. As taxation increases, it becomes the more urgent to make sure that: its incidence is equitable. and a step in this direction is taken in Resolution V, in which the Council, profiting by the adverse decision given in the case "The Council v. Messrs. Kuhn and Komor," seeks permanent authority to revise from time to time all or any assessments of buildings. A farther adjustment might still be made in rescinding the abatement of 20 per cent on, land assessment for taxation purposes, for which there would seem to be little authority in the Land Regulations in view of the use of the term "gross value" in Article IX.
Apart from questions of finance the most prominent item in the Council's programme is the one that deals with opium houses. Tout court Resolation VI reads:—"That the number of licensed opium themselves in the suppression of opium houses in Shanghai; aad it will, perhaps, be a matter for regret that so much energy has been devoted to a side issue in the place of an organized attempt to strengthen the Central Government's hands in securing effect for the Opium Regulations throughout the provinces.
Legislation of a less momentous character constitutes the themes of the remaining Resolutions; but in one an opportunity is afforded of raising a question of even more vital moment to the community than the suppression of opium. Resolution XI provides for the election of four Governors of the General Hospital for the ensuing year, and we would gladly see the occasion improved by 'a searching discussion upon the whole status of this institution. In view of what is generally known or believed regarding the conditions that obtain to-day in the General Hospital—monetary stringency, a devoted sisterhood, not wholly trained as professional nurses, taxed beyond its powers—it might be thought that local charity as well as NE
601 practical instincts of self-preservation would have caused general attention to be directed to the pressing need for reorganization. Tt would seem, however, to be true of Shanghai as of other communities, that it is incapable of interesting itself in more than one public question ata time. Last year the Police Force crowded out all other subjects; this year it may be that the removal of a " moral stain " is held to be of more importance than the care of human life, and thus another twelve months may pass before a state of affairs that urgently calls for reform can be discussed. It must be admitted that the question is one that excludes all considera tions of self-interest; the reorganiz~ ation of the Hospital will clash with vested interests, will impose a burden upon the Municipal raven and will evoke consider=b!e op] tion. But of the need of it there can be no doubt, and it would be well if the subject were at least ventilated at the coming Meeting, even if no definite action in the matter were taken.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.