His service to the community may be said to have commenced with the Fire Brigade, He joined the Mib-Ho-Loong Ca., and for seven years was an enthusiastic fireman, holding: the position of foreman for three or: four of these years. If the most] exciting, this was also the most arduous form of service in which it was possible for a young man to} engage, and a period of seven years was much above the average length, time spent in it. He was, however, an enthusiast in whatever he id, and later on the Community was to gee the same throughness brought to beat in his public work in other directions, If this record of sport fand service were not enough for a young man, it has also to be added. That he went in for riding, and was a familiar figure at the Race Club for years in the early mornings.
'To return to Mz. Pearce's business career. AS we have said, he ome to China to join the firm of Messrs, George Oliver & Ca., and with them he remained until' 1897, when ho entered the service of Messrs. Ibert & Ca. Mr. Ibert was control of the firm at that time, but retired shortly afterwards, and'in 1905 Mr. Pearce was admitted as a partner. He took charge ocally when Me. F. Anderson retired from Shanghai, and in 1920, purchasing Mr. Anderson's interest in the The Late Sir EDWARD PEARCE. firm, he he ne governing directo position which he vetained May of this year when he resigned it in favour of Mr, H. Campbell. Besides import and ex port business the firm had important enterprises to handle, one of these being cotton spinning, while they. were agents for un extensive rubber plantation company long before the boom of 1910 took place, Service on the Council Connection with such a firm, and especially as head of it, brought Mtr. Pearce into close contact sith public affairs. He quickly became a Popular speaker ut the Ratepayers Meetings, and he showed a skill in dealing with an audience which was to prove invaluable to him when er ho became Chairman of Coane There is one typical incident. which may be mentioned at one of these! meetings. The session had been Tong and acrimonious, and everybody wanted to get away. There was, however, still 4 resolution on the agenda which provided for permission to construct a concrete pagoda: somewhere in the heart of the!
Settlement, and Mr, Pearce was to! propose it. There were angry atterings when ho ascended the platform, but in a moment or two these gave place to shrieks of laughter. Mr. Pearce had a per: fectly serious speech prepared for the occasion, but by his. intonation land manner of delivery, with only the Insertion of an apt phrase here and. there, he turned his appeal into a burlesque, The fatigued ratepayers lost their jaded feeling, acquired sudden interest in the comic side of pagodas, nevertheless passed the resolution, A year or so later, in 1911, Br Pearce Joined the Council. and in 1013 became Chairman, an office he! held until 1919. To recount his work during that period would be to essay a history of the Settlement throughout the war. There were subjects of difficulty far exceeding anything! that had faced his predecessors on: which he had to make decisions: theee were schemes t. be pushed through so that the work of the!
Settlement could go on in spite its depletion in man power: and there as, in his private capacity. work for the Empire. Shanghai was indeed fortunate in having him at the head: of its affaire during this strenuous. period, for it required a vey skilful pilot to weather all it. storms. One: fof the most severe of these occurred towards the end.of his tenure of office. when tro ose with students in the course of an anti.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.