The decision of the Public Utilie ties Bureau of the City Government of Greater Shanghai to inaugurate steam launch ferry services between Shanghai and Tungkow, Pootung, and between Shanghai and Lan Nee Doo, Pootung, has evoked a storm of protest from several hundred oatmien engaged in the Shanghal-Pootung junk ferry services, with the resuit that a very interesting petition has been sent to the Bureaa in which the mon present there The writers say that the Shanghai-Pootung junk ferry services which they maintain at present dates back to the early part of the Manchu dynasty when, during the reign of Emperor Kuang Hsu, engaged local authorities to number of vessels were
rem one side of the Whangpoo River to the other, and vice versa, free of charge, Tha owners of these vessels received a Jump sum at the end of each year remuneration, With the permission of the authorities, "owners of these junk ferries collected a small Yee later on from persons travelling by the Boats because the number of pose sengers showed a steady increase. Since that time, they say, the calling has, more or less, become hereditary and the people at pro: sent engaged in the services are invariably descendants. of those who inaugurated the original free ferry services between Shangha tung many years ago by the aus thorities who were then in power.
Tu recent. years, the writers continue, the Greater Shanghai Bureau of Finance has been issuing licences to, and collecting taxes from, the ars of these ferry boats, the being charges for the lease of and foreshores used for the convenience of passengers From these facts, it will be soon that the native ferry services Shanghai have had a very long history and the owners of the ferries have indirectly secured the privilege of renting perpetually the wharves and foreshores where their junks Zerth, It is, therefore, illegal for the Bureau of Public Utilities to deprive the boatmen of their hard= arned privilege by inaugurating: steam launch ferry services which I deprive the boatnien of their livelihood, Continuing, the writers say' that hundreds of boatmen and their families, like their forefathers, de= pend upon the maintenance of these Jonk ferry services for their living. With the inauguration of the pro-Posed steam Munch services, they Will be unable to find other work fs they have eon occupied in this: Tine since ehildnocd and are now too old to learn anything else. Once thrown oat of work, they can only await starvation because they are ocr people and have no estates from which to benefit. It is, there: fore, contrary to the Three People Principles, expecially the one relating to the people's livelihood, that the officials of the Public Utilities Bureau should attempt to deprive the people of their livelihood by inaugurating the preposed services.
Tu conclusion, the Bureau is requested to cance! its deetsion so that the living of the several hundred ontmen who depend on the service will net te threatened, Tt may be recalled that the boatmen have submitted a namber of petitions on this matter to the authorities but all have been rejected so the outcome of the present quest will be watched with interest.
Shanghai, He is a very lovable and brilliant small boy. Although his outward manifestations might be similar to eny number of small eight year olds, his. adventuresome spirit, his unique ideas, and above all the adoration Sor this father hich he can never refrain from expressing, should be distinguish-
{t has been reported that a small bey was soon getting on a river Yoat from the old wharf in Po tung three days ago. Investi Hiens are being made' concerning the sele clue which-has been offered te his whereabouts, Nis mothor'a anxiety as to his fate hes been'! somewhat "lessened in view of the fact that Viaaimir speaks Chinese:! 0 execllontly and in addition pesses-v ses a romarkaile talent for getting slong in the world in spite of his brief years,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.