To the Editor of the "Nontu-Carwa Daly News."
Sir,—No one would wish to belittle' the efforts that are being made by the Council to improve the present system of publicity, but phasis has been laid on the opinion of certain of its members that, in order to supply information lon ihunicipal matters in an attract tive form, the services of an official possessing high journalistic qual pear that some expression of public Jopinion on the subject may not be inopportune, Now what are the essential quali. fications for the post in question? 'The task of directing and controlling. a municipal publicity ergs ition evidently calls for literary' qualifieations, but apart from this, He would lappenr "that" knowledge "of local conditions, a certain. dexree mental culture, natural aptitude for constructive work, and an une jarring instinct for sizing up delicate situations are qualifications far more necessary, for such en unde taking, than journalistic ability and the knack of presenting reports Jo palatable form for the detectation for" Chinese ratepayers. Not. that this part of the work should be neglected, Recent events in China [certainly go to show that a large section of the native population has made no advance from the instinetive misgivings that have charac terized Chinese dealings with for-from the earliest times, and while" many of the. Chinese, in Ihigher walks of life, have recently been won over to a realization of the foreigner's sincere desire for the welfare of Shanghai, and of the consequent need for future co-opera tion, the lower classes have still to be convinced of the good faith of the Wai Kuo Jen. "For this reason. an essential feature of the publicity movement must naturally be the task of enabling the Chineve to follow intelligently. the progress lof our municipal government and obviating any sources of misunderstanding in that direction, "But this a side issue and has only an in: cveet Beating on, the guertion of the qualifications for the post.
T do not wish to labour the point, [but anybody who tale dispassionate view of the problem will with me in thinking that journs fare not the only men Who can fern' the thin line of demarcation dividing" information that. ought forthwith to be made public and reports that may tend to hamper [the progress of negotiations in respect of which reticence may be essential for atime.
Now on so important a branch of. municipal administration there: may ell be some difference of opinion, but if the Council has not already reached a final decision a1 be prepared to reconsider may T suggest that the choice of suitable candidate be left open and that an opportunity, be afforded those Who may wish to qualify for ition to do so whatever their A temporary. appoint= for a period of six months, might possibly commend tele to the Council and, if durin {the period of probation the candle Jéate' should succeed in drawing up fand. giving effect toa successful form of publicity, then there would ample'time for the Council either to confirm the appointment or cone sider other arrangements, Some answer to this letter will doubtless be forthcoming from other ratepayers, who may differ in their understanding of what the requisite javalifications. for such a position may be, but the writer is not an welcome any opinion his own so Tong. sincere. It is only by taking an intelligent interest in. municipal affairs and by. ventilating certain matters, that ratepayers can properly: support the gentlemen they have elected as their representative Shanghai, July, 13, 1991; 5 cet ut a Gta
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.