To the Editor of the "Nonmit-Citwa Day News" the vernacular, to know onions, for public interest, ax ested by Jelters in the press, has udied from a spate of opinion (0 a slow trickle. Authority once agai will have ils way. "But before it docs, Perhaps a new spring might be touch: ed if T bring to public atte or we matters: which appear 40 for their notice, the frst is in connection with the event speech of Mr. If. B, Arnhold, Chairman of the S.C, ° merchant und public companies' director, meeting of the British Residents Association. In his long and ap-Darently fruitful cureer here this fable gentleman has developed skill ab oratory which carries his audiences to those points of understanding it his intention they should. reach.
told his fellows of the BARA. recently the reasons why the Council's ancial situation "had reached its Present pass. But in his flood of eloquence he did not say what steps the Council had taken to prevent the situation from atising. The impression remains that the Council has een more concerned in the past with spending rather than with save ing money.
My next matter is concerned with the peculiar building and road operations now in process of completion the vicinity of the Administration Building. I am in entire ignorance of the true object of this activity, but have assumed that, unless the intention fiom the blanouel Teed is the real end in view, cannot help. wondering whether this fsa further "economy! mow ure, id whether so expensive a under ishing "elsined a necesmry, po ould not have been deterred unt haps "during. mes "of prepeniy,
tilia times (apparently onthe way bee ater'n tong absence) return Shanghai, Dee, 22, Sm—In the spring of the present much correspondence appeared in your columns regarding an announcement made by the Trustees of Holy Trinity Cathedral that they bad received ar. offer for the purchase for building purposes. of the major por-Yon of the Cathedral Lawn, which mis elfer it, was their intention fo place before the general body of pew-renters and subscribers at an extra-i ordinary meeting The consensus of opinion expressed in the various letters was. strongly in opposition to the idea of making a sale, In due course the meeting took place, attended by a strong representation of those entitled to vote. In order to test the feeling of those resent. the Trustees brought forward formal proposal that the offer in their hands be accepted?" On a vote being taken it was shown that the meeting was unanimously opposed to the proposal, and the Trustees ex pressed themselves as satisfied to abide by this decision. They how ever pointed out that it was absolutely essential that ways and means be devised to relieve them at an early dale of at least a considerable por-lon of the burden of responsibility resting on their shoulders in consequence of the heavy deficit shown Ju the accounts for 1995 anc the estimated shortage of income in 1990, - Reference was also made to the, urgency -existing that financial provision. be made for the cost of} lundertaklng long-overdue and extensive repairs to the Cathedral fabric 'a9 well us for @ comprehensive overhaul of the War Memorial organ' which had suffered considerably from climatic effects since its erection, both of which schemes would require quite a lot of money, comparatively. speaking.
Tu each hi-monthly issue of the Cathedral Eaten which Was ape Bi eared Since the above meeting took lace. the Honorary Treasurer of the Cathedral. Mr. Edw. E, Parsons, has included a concise: statement showing just how the finances stand, besides voleing dignified appeals for support "from "British people Shanghai whose names not appear in the list of pew-renters or subscribers. The response to these appeals has so far been disappointing meagre, and meanwhile—to put it somewhat erudely—the Cathedral continues to be run at a Joss, month routh, causing ceaseless worry and anxiety to the Honorary Treas-the Trustees and the Vestry. considered that copies of the Calendar are regularly mail 1,900 British residents of Shanghai. out of which number but title more than 10. per coat. are either pew-renlers or subscribers, there Seems tv be something wrong somewhere. "And when it is also remendered that the Cathedral is une of. if not the, very oldest institutions of our city and that the hard-working clergy are ever ready to place their services at the disposal of anyone desiring ut requiring them, surely it rather a slur on British folk gen-rally that they: hould be content complacently to allow so. compara. tively small a, percentage of their number to endeavour to undertake the responsibility of the upkeep of the Cathedral and its services and work in Shanghai.
As regards the present condition of the Cathedral fabric itself, may I remind readers of a somewhat analagous situation which arose in England some ten or twelve years ago, when the Dean and Chap-of St. Paul's Cathedral made it publicly unown that Wren's master piece was in a distinctly. dangerous condition owing to instability of the foundations, and that in order to safeguard the building as regards the future it was necessary to appeal for financial support. The response was instantaneous. Money. in sums large fand small, simply poured in from all quarters not only of Britain and the British Empire but also from many other countries as well. and very soon a sufleient amount was forthcoming to enable the Cathedral authorities to proceed with the hodful repairs. These have now been nally completed, and enouncement has been made that the fabric may be reckoned as safe for many genera-ions to come.
St. Paul's is of course a national British institution and possession. but ought not we British people in Shang-hal to take an almost similar measure of practical interest and pride in the well-being of our local Cathedral where so many of us and our children have been baptized and married, and to which we repair more or less regularly, at least I hope so? I would suggest that at this Christmas season
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.