A Man of Many Activities: His Service on Local Societies Mr. H. G. Simms, one of the Councillors to be re-elected last month and who has for a number of years been prominently connected with the municipal government of Shanghai, was last Friday elected Chairman of the Council.
The announcement that Mr. Simms was to succeed Mr. A. Brooke Smith as the Chief Citizen of Shanghai was the signal for an outburst of congratulations from Mr. Simms' numerous friends. It would be difficult to find a candidate who is more closely in touch with the interests and aspirations of every section of this many-minded community. Mr. Simms has always, particularly during the most critical period of the war, aimed at uniting and reconciling all nationalities. And in doing so he became one of the most poplar among Britons.
Mr. Simms is a man of ideals concerning civic service. Although an extraordinarily sociable man, he has few hobbies, work filling most of his time. Attention to business since he became secretary and general manager of the North China Insurance Ca. in 1908 has led to the building up of one of the biggest. insurance concerns in the Far East in the company's affiliation in 1920 with the Union of Canton Insurance Ca. Concurrently with his professional duties his work on the—Municipal Council has led to various important innovations and improvements in the government of Shanghai. Few of our councillors have devoted more time to the dismal science of municipal affairs by serving on sub-committees. He now a member of the Watch Committee, was for a time Land Commissioner; finance, education and other civic matters have occupied an equally large share of his activities. in Shanghai history, Tank Week, During the war the prize "drive" was the result of Mr, Simms's organizing abilities while Chairman of the Shanghai Club, a post which he took on when the firing started and held until 1920. His social service in making the Shanghai Club the centre where the Allies fore gathered during the blackest days of the struggle were rewarded Jast February by the French Government, when M. H. Wilden, Consul-General for France, bestowed upon him the Medaille de Reconnaissance Francaise. In de-cerating Mr. Simms, the French Consul-General voiced the sentiments of the community when he warmly referred to the new Muni. cipal Chairman's services to the Allies during the war. M. Wilden said that the Olub while preserve ing its hospitable ideals as befitted
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