AGREEMENT, To the Editor of the "Nonra-Omuva Dany News."
Sm—I would like to urge upon my fellow ratepayers through the medium of your valuable paper the necessity for opposing the proposed elimination of Clause 7 of Annual Meeting to be held on the 2ist instant. clause to which I refer is that limiting the dividends of the Waterworks Ca. to 8 per cent upon so much of the capital of the company as shall have been expended for the supply of water to the Northern Settlements, and it is proposed in consideration of its elitaination that a certain amount of water for mines and the positions of th been constantly reported at Weihaiwei, municipal purposes shall be provided free of charge.
On the face of it this offer appears to but a deaf ear is turned to any suggestion b ery generous one, but when it is for their destruction and an indifference jo flavour to the tonnage—is or should be a British one, and this neglect ought to be referred to the Admiralty. After a duo expenditure of red tape we may then seo a little animation in the Navy on the point. As proof of the reality of the danger—if proof is wanted after the Kashing dis-acter—a mine stranded in a cove at Weihaiwei the other day and exploded on the beach. The concussion was so great that it nearly took the side out of the house of the rifle range keeper.
If the greater blame attaches to the British, the other navies cannot escape their share of it. We have gunboats of all nations lying idle and spoiling for want of something to do. Here is a splendid and useful opportunity for them to destroy a common enemy. The mines make excellent targets and there is more sense in hurling shells at them instead of an inoffensive black marl painted on a canvas screen. It casts a reflection upon the warships to considered that the Waterworks Ca. paid last year a dividend of over 18 for cent, or 5 per cent over the dividend to which they bound themselves, it will be soon that at no very distant dure the operation of Clause 7 of the old agreement may reasonably be expected to come into force and that what we are now offered asa concession will then be ours by right.
It will be remembered that in 1902 when at the Council's instigation, Mr. Guerrier was appointed to examine the Waterworks Co.'s books, that gentleman reported that turn on the outlay was made and without the extensions, and an examination of the books made now would in all probability show a much more favourable return: even assuming that such is not the case I contend that no allowance of free water for municipal The elimination of the clause, because the oses can possibly compensate for
principle of curtailing the dividends of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.