inaugural Dinner More than 300 people sat down at the Pan-Pacific Association's dinner, at the Great Eastern Hotel on Tuesday, People from: European countries as well as the countries bordering on the Pacific Ocean attended and there was abundant promise of ce-operation. Owing to the absence of the president of the Shanghai branch, Mr. Tang Shao-yi, Dr. C. T. Wang acted as After a piano solo by Miss E. Yang, Dr, Wu Ting-fang gave 2 brief address Speeches w also given by Fudge C. S, Lobingier, Dr. C. T. Wang, and Mr N. ¥. Chang on behalf of Mr. H. Middleton, who was unavoidably absent.
Dr. Wang spoke on China's need for good roads. He said that roads to a country were like blood-vessels in the human system. He gave the following reasons li) Educationally, roads and other means of communications are the Best means to bring knowledge to Une people.
b) They give life to commerce and industry.
Governmentally, they help—making life safe and administration efficient.
d) Nationally, they are best means to pring the people to know each other better, and help each other, He said that railways need to be built but they consume much capital, and, besides, international questions are involved. Canals and rivers will continue functioning as highways for goods, but are stationary. Roads cane built with Teas money and {be proportion can be easily adjusted with money available.
Disbanded soldiers, said the speaker, and even regular troops can serve the nation best by build: ing roads. The Road Committee of the Pan Pacific Association proposed to advocate the building of roads between Hangchow. Shanghai and Nanking. The reason given for the construction of such a road are:—1) Kiangsu and Chekiang people, as well as government officials, more enlightened nowadays.
2) Flourishing commerce.
5) Reaching points of great beauty.
4) Large number of automobiles already owned by the Chinese and foreign residents.
The Committee proposed to work in the following wa; 1) Yo have a Comittee of 100 persons consisting of heads of the provineial assemblies, heads of bers of Commerce, of Educational Associations, Commissioners Foreign Affairs and Customs, and prominent citizens.
have an executive committee consisting of not more than nine members.
3) To have three special committees a) Finance committee b) Survey and Investigating Com.
mittee
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.