1 think, gentlemen, that practically covers all I have to tell you in connexion with the report and accounts, but before sitting down, I should like to express the Board's appreciation of the good work done by the staff during the year. It is, I need hardly say, largely due to their endeavours that the success of the company depends. I have, therefore, to call to your attention a special resolution which will be proposed later on' authorize ing your directors to grant a bonus of 10 per cent. on the salaries of the staff for the past year. This will absorb an amount of Tls. 3,590.
There -were no questions, and the formal resolutions were then carried unanimously; including the adoption of the report and accounts and the authorization to the directors to pay a final dividend fcr the year 1922 of six per cent and a bonus of four per cent. on the paid up capital, to shareholders en the register at this date; and also to pay to the staff a bonus id per cent. on their salaries.
Tue question of elevating the Legations in Peking to Embassies is again.raised in the Chinese press of Hongkong which reports that this will be the case with the British, American, French and Japanese Legations. The idea has been discussed at intervals for three years past.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.