From Our Own Correspondent, Hangchow, Jan. 13.
The Memorandum sent to Peking by the Provincial Assembly before its prorogation last week forms the subject of a strong appeal by Shun Mo-han, Customs Commissioner in the Northern Capital, and_ himself a Chekiang man, to the President over the much-discussed question of a mandate for local government throughout China.
The letter says: "I, Mahan, a Chekiang official, approach you on the above, begging you to grant the request made, now, by the majority of the provinces, for a measure permitting local government. n my provincial capital (Hangchow) the Governor has drawn out a scheme for local Government which he has presented to you through the Provincial Assembly. A careful survey of the lines on which it is suggested that such should be run will convince you of the benefits to be obtained by the /egal government of our land, by establishing the system as there drawn up. By bringing together on the same Board the 'Official' (professional) and Merchant class in consultation, laws will be passed of an altruistic nature giving fair play' to all class ses, and the 'Secret Service' kind of thing to which we have been for so long bitterly subjected will be abolished, we trust, for ever. May I humbly request our President to draw up rules without delay and, having submitted them to the Home Office proceed to put them into force through the proper channels."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.