To the Editor of the "Norru-Cuina Dairy News."
Smr,—Your informant who inspired the notice in your issue of the 14th instant, headed '"Com-piiments on Tsingtao," is no doubt, as you say, "a gentleman of standing and distinction,' but he was only a visitor, and probably obtained his information at the club or the hotel.
Tsingtao is, of course, a delightful place, and superior to its rivals, not only as a health resort, but on account of the beautiful surrounding country and the convenience of its shops, but to say that the Chinese are carrying out their obligations, is not the fact. Poss¥oly those with local interests think it to their advantage to represent everything as couleur de rose, but those who know the Chinese, are aware that fulsome praise only produces laxity.
Excellent as is the Municipal Council in Shanghai, it does not look for childish praise, and its defects, both real and imaginary, are ruthlessly criticized both by the press and its correspondents. It is the power of public opinion that keeps it up to the mark.
As regards Tsingtao, I am pecuniarily interested in the place and see that norning will be achieved until we have a proper municipality with foreign representation, which would be expected to look after our interests, Many defects quite easy to remedy, have been constantly brought to the attention of the authorities, but no steps have been taken to remedy things.
_The harbour of course, is a bigger subject, which involves the outlay of millions. Large ships sometimes lie at anchor for several days owing to lack of berth accommodation, (not for hours only, as instanced by your informant concerning a British coaster), and further delays occur in loading and unloading, due te the right of supplying coolies being in the hands of a monopoly,—but this question is being tackled, and we hope will be satisfactorily solved.
T am, etc., Tsingtao, April 16, 1993.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.