Shanghai, 11th March, 1903.
Dear Sr,—In "ddition to what has been written to you in official reports by the head master respecting the status of the school stut we feel that the time ha when we as a body should address the committee in order, if possible. to have more satisfactory understanding with regard to our po-ition Without going into unnecess: ry tait. we may boist out that we were giv understand on the strength "f municipal aod other reports that the institution we were selected to join was a 1 institute-n in every sense of the word of us were engaged through "ud by thouneil's 5 in Lon-on, others being on the saft when, in 18 it was as-umed by the ratep therefore, that we are entitled to thst security of position which public servants should have so long as their duties are Shanghai, 15th March, 1903.
Si.—Tam dr ered to acknowledge receipt of y ur letter of the 13th in-tant orwuding for the C-unci 's ce sideration, acommunicativn from the school staff. I fan irstrnet-d to reply to this communica. ton us follows (1) My letter to your committee of the 28rd Februsry, revently published, wherein he Council's views upon the schoo!' finances were set, forth, contains nm stut iment which can justify rhe assumption cither that the school i+ vot, municipal institmion in every -ense of the wauls" or that the school staff is not ''e.trt ed to that sewity of position which public rents should have so long as *heir duties re satist cordy orf-rined." The Council can therefore only conclud" that the present communication from the school saft is the r-sult of certain inaccurate and misleading "articles which have recoatly been published in the Ivcal press.
mtt-e, its dutes, responsibil-ies 2) The p+ ition of the Hdu'a ion Com powers, cannot be matter for question Since they hav- been clea ly delinel, under the authority of the ratepayers, certain rules which have been in }force, unchanged, si school became a municipal institution in 1893. As thes" rules have been reprinted annitlly in the school reports the reasonah'y b expected to be fami vith the c nations of their employment'. Mey should he aware that, while the committe, acting under p. were de agated of the ratepayers, "has ye and fivaneial control in "li sehewol and its "financed re ponsibility" rests not with the members of the comm thee ud-viluslly or evil-ctively but with the Coweil which "pp ins them. Tt is bezeae this responsibility rts, with the Council hat i is the Intte's duty to snpery se and conte the wenrsl fin peh y of Ins inst tuivn.
(3)—The Council has neither criticised Inez opposed the recommendations of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.