Aug. 25
The statement published in yesterday's Municipal Gazette by the Council and the correspond~ ence between the latter and the British Chamber of Commerce and the China Association. whose observations are endorsed by every Chamber in Shanghai, are chiefly important for the extraordinary revelations there, contained of the Telephone Co.'s management. In passing, we note that the projected introduetion of the message rate, which fairly roused a long-suffering community to rebellion, seems to have been discreetly dropped. 'The Council say that "the proposal for the. adoption' message rate is not before the not at present ari add that, if and when it does, 8 seri interests "will be give the fullest consideration." The community's feeling is that until the Telephone Ca. has something worth the money paid, they cer tainly will not pay more than they do at present; and they will heartily agree with the Council's dictum "that all efforts should be concentrated upon the establishment of a fully satisfactory service." 4 But how late in the day: this concentration takes place! the Council's reply to the Brit: ish Chamber of Commerce stress is laid upon the serious position in the Company's affairs both as regards service. and future financing. The letter goes on:
This condition of dered to. be prim fairs is concession in recent years and the enormous and unexpected growth in the number of Chinese subscribe had not been foreseen and antiinated and that the system and resources of the Company adapted for the needs of a small community fare subjected to excessive strain in the endeavour to cope with present and future developments.
Looking back to the Chamber's letter, we find that its complaints of the telephone service are anything but new. In fact, "'strongly worded letters" wore "address ed to the Shanghai Mutual Tel phone Company by the British and French Chambers of Commerce in May, 1919, and to. the Shanghai Municipal Council by the American Chamber of Come merce at the same time." Now it may frankly be admitted that during the years of war it was difficult to obtain material which the Telephone Ca, required, and probably still was in 1919.. But about one matter there was then no difficulty whatever, and was in foreseeing the comi growth of Shanghai. This in those days, a general subject of amazed comment:, Qver fifty
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.