The annual general meeting of the China Association, Shanghai Branch, was "held following the meeting. of the British Chamber of Commerce. In the absence of Mr. Harold Porter,.M.¢., Chairman of the Branch, Mr. B; W. Massey presided supported by} Messrs. J. F. Brenan, c.M.c., H. M. Consul-General, W. $. King, H. G. W. Woodhead, 'c.w.t., and P. Campbell, Secretary.
The acting chairman said: In the unavoidable absence of your Chairman, Mr. Porter, it devolves upon me to address you this evening.
The able and exhaustive, speech of the Chairman of the Chamber Teaves little for me to say on the: activities of the Joint Committee. The services of our London Committee have been called upon on occasions and the considera been conveyed to them by territory ity, Registration of Foreign Firms with the Chinese Government, the. Thorburn Case fastly.the situation created by the Sino-Japanese conflict at. Shanghai We have endeavoured to. bring to Lil. <M. Government the lity of pressing for reforms statis of Shanghai on the Report. and specially with a view to avoid a recurrence of a situation similar
Tt Would' be highly: improper for what "we have, just experienced.
to attempt here to unduly Taege on those efforts or on the ception accorded to them. Iti with no wish to conceal what, the Uctivities "of the Association are that Tsay this, but you will, 1 know, realise that an" infinite Amount of harm might be done by Such publicity' and. to thave closely interested in our work, I would say that,"your Committee are always lad, if approached, to keep them with the policy _and activities of the Association. During the past Year this Association took it particularly on iteelt to press H.'M. Government for more rigorous action, vis-a-vis the Chinese: Government in regard to the Th burn' Case. We had two spec meetings of the Association here and T-think that we can. at any Tate congratulate ourselves that out efforts were not unfruitful. At the Second of the two meetings men-joned, 1 referred to' the formation of the British Residents' "Associa tion and after Mtr. Burkill had explained. the scope and aims of the new body, we passed a resolution of sympathy with ite objects. think it appropriate that we should refer to the matter at this our anual meeting so that it can go on record that. the mew Association has our full support. 1. believe that with its more democratic constitution it has a Possible sphere of usefulness. more extended. than this Association has put that can both properly ealiaborate in Pursuing the same ideals. Tsay Collaborate advisedly as {by means wish-to imply that the Brit ish Residents Association can take the place of the China Association. thanks had already been sent to the) We by our long standing con: heads of the Japanese Army and nections with H. MIN. Government Navy in Shanghai, as well as those exceptionally" full ies for} inthe "Government in' Tokyo, for the services which the Army' and putting our views forward through our London' Committee and. out Navy had rendered for the' protection' of the people here recently. efforts and those of the British Notes of thartks were also' sent, chambers of commerce. and other properly be complementary, the one to the other.
Residents" Association can very
displayed "toward. the Shanghai bodies "i Sapam for thet spmpathr 1 am glad fo report ian access of Chamber during the incident, fitty"new members during the past
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.