Motor Car Offences.—There was a considerable increase in the number of motor car offences. No tess than 213 cases were tried by the Traffic Courts, which is an average of roughly 27 cases a sitting. In several instances the Court has handed down sentences of imprisonment without the option of a fine, especially in cases when a chauffeur has refused to stop after causing an accident.
Opium Offences.—During the month, 33 search" warrants were issued, which resulted in 118 persons being brought before the Court to be dealt with. In one case in which several Chinese and Foreigners were concerned two persons were sentenced in this Court to six months' imprisonment for representing themselves to be police officers and making an unauthorized raid. This case following one in July when four men were given imprisonment ranging from six months to four years for a similar offence, clearly indicates that this class of criminal is only too ready to take advantage of the circumstances under which the opium trade is carried on.
Public Works. Department Report for August.
On the 3ist, Shanghai was visit-by a fairly severe typhoon, the wind reaching a velocity of over 90 miles an hour at its maximum. The severity of the storm was not '|so great as that of the typhoon of of the orchestral band stand being 19"5, and the damage done was utilized for entertainments other correspondingly less. than band concerts in the future.
Two of the Bund pontoons were Four evening concerts were given sunk, on account of the water in the Public Garden; the attend-washing over the decks and floodance at the first one exceeded 4,000, ing the compartments. One, opthus showing that, even if music posite to Avenue Edward VII, was cannot be so effectively rendered in raised with little difficulty, as it this garden, on account of a medley had sunk in comparatively shalof sounds in its environments, the uow water, and it was possible to public find it more accessible and raise it by pumping the compart-consequently patronize the concerts ments dry at low water to a greater extent than they do elsewhere.
The raising of the pontoon opposite to Canton Road presented more difficulty, as the deck was Electricity Department, below low water, and, although
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.