Representatives Suggested for a Municipal Commission In connexion with the annual meeting of the ratepayers it is a matter of general civic interest to note the latest developments in the matter of child labour in Shanghai. Earlier in the winter a joint committee representing several of the leading women's organizations of the Settlement, including the B.W.A., the A.W.C., the Shanghai Women's Club and the Y.W.O.A., petitioned the Municipal Council to take definite steps looking toward the bettering of working conditions of children employed in local mills and factories. among them the abolition of night work for children 12 years of age. The Council has recently taken action as indicated in the fellowing letter addressed by Mr. N. O. Liddell to Miss May-ling Soong, Secretary of the Joint Committee of Women's Clubs, and dated April 5:
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of March 1 address sed to the Chairman of the Council, submitting certain suggestions in connexion with the employment of children in mills and factories, and, in reply, to call your attention to the Council' decision, briefly recorded in _to-day's Municipal Gazette, to appoint a Commission to go into the whole question and te report thereon. in duo course with recommendations for the Council's consideration. I am further directed to inform you that the Council will be glad if your Committee will submit the names of those whom they would suggest should serve on the Commission, the membership of which would be completed by further nominations by the Council, but would not include any members of the Niunicipal staff who would, however, be available to give evidence and otherwise assist the Commission in its labours.
In the meantime, in regard to the third suggestion submitted in your letter under reply, I am directed to state that ventilation, sanitary accommodation and means of egress in all buildings of the factory class within Settlement limits are dealt, with when the plans of such build ing are submitted to the Council for its approval, and that the necessary provision therefor is indicated on the plans before a building permit is issued. In certain cases, of course, it may prove that sanitary accommodation is inadequate when the buildings are completed, Bat this only occurs when an incorrect figure has been given as to the number of persons to be employed, and when this happens, the Council's experience is that the owners are generally quite ready to remedy any deficiency.
Finally, Iam to inform you that further provision for the inspection by the Council of buildings after their construction is to be provided for in the revised Buildings Rules which are at present in course of preparation.
In response to this gratifying communication, the joint committee has suggested, for service on the Commission representatives of the Employers' Federation, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Shanghai Industrial Committee and a few additional neimes of individuals who which several days ago rose 5 ft. by experience are especially qualified for this work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.