To the Editor of the "NontH-CHiNa DatLy News"
Sir—It is splendid to note the! Jorge number of people who have expressed their willingness and given a definite assurance that they will Attend a meeting of ratepayers with regard to the effect of these by-laws. want to, but it seems to me Anat it is absolutely essential that before any such meeting] in called, that the ratepayers of Shanghai should be fully advised sto the effect of these by-laws. There is mo question but that every decent clean-minded man is anxious! to see the total abolition of Child Labour, but before supporting the Tatepayers shoud be olealy told and proposals for such abolition the
the position fully explained as to the future of the children taken out ¢f What are the objections to this cheme,—lots of work for mynicipal inspectors, yes, but not very much more than if total immediate abolition is brought- about.
Some may say by issuing of authority "for certain children we countenance child labour; this is a narrow view and by doing nothing I feel we do countenance it. The advantages are so apparent that in this letter I won't recite them. But 1 do ask the ratepayers, have the Gestitute children in Shanghai so far been properly cared for—not child workers, but destitute—some with parents, some without? If not, why and what is it going to be when the numbers are greatly increased.
Tam, ete,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.