The friends of Mr. T. W. Richardson, our senior merchant, will be glad to hear that he is making " good recovery from the very serious illness which laid him low some time ago.
An attempt has been made by a foreigner to start a telephone service in Swatow: but the telegraphic administration at Shanghai has secured" proclamation from the Taotai forbidding any infringement of their monopoly in electrical communications. This may lead to " fight.
The authorities in several of the districts are in a quandary. In consequence of the late rebellion they prohibited the holding of theatrical performances at night, as these provided rendezvous for bad characters. This was a good move, and had a good effect.
But the theatres pay a tax, based upon the number and length of their performances, and no play no pay.' As the tax was pledged for schools and other purposes the mandarins are at a loss how to make up the deficit, It mis Une ME. Derald and S. C. & C. Gazette.
Szpr. 6, 1907. seems as if the prohibition will be withdrawn, as was an carlier one limiting the performances to the hours before idnigght.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.