Controversy Ended by Signing of the Agreement 'A controversy which has lasted for just 11 years was brought to an end on Saturday morning shortly before noon, when the agreement which has caused so much heart-searching and interminable letter-writing was signed between the Shanghai Waterworks Company and The initial cause of discussion wag the generally felt necessity of finding some other system of charging for water than by a certain percentage on rental, But out of this grew a prolific crop of other bones of contention (if bones may be said to grow in a crop) such the Council's power of contro! over the Company in the interests of ratepayers, limitation of dividends, what was to become of Company's subordinate undertaking—the supply of baths, basins, taps, towel rails, drying cupboards, dish drainers and the like. Agree ment really seemed about to be Fenched in 1924, when personal conferences were substituted for correspondence, which already amounted to a formidable -ma: But fresh problems arose frustrate the expected harmony.
Now however, the agreement is really-signed at last. It consists, we understand, of 32 folios.
There were present in the Coun Chamber, on the Company's side:—Mr. H. Martin Little, Mr. L. J. Cubitt, directors, Mr, C. D. Pearwon,—engineer-in-chief ant manager; Mr, W, R. Walter, seeretary; And on the Council's side:—Me.
Fessenden, chairman; Br. 3. Bi.
Rdwards, secretary; Mr. C. Harpur, Assistant and Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.