'The comprehensive letter in which the Chinese Ratepayers' Association asks for the cooperation of the Forely Ratepayers in formulating views fon the financial policy of the Shang-val Municipal Council contains mud thal ig stimulating. With its general principle that the two communities right usefully create. some method of Joint approach to discussion of th Seitlement's problems there can hardly be any quarrel, The Council Hiself affords a useful medium for this Interchange of view between the Chinese representatives and their foreign colleagues. Yet. of course, a more direct liaison would have mani-Test advantages, 'This opinion Is sub-Jeet to some reservation, 'The arguments and opinions set forth by the 'Chinese Ratepayers' Association seem fo ignore certain basic facts of the Settlement's history and requirements. he so-called anomalies and the obsolete character of the Settlement's position cannot be adduced as of themselves. Indicative of the justice of the Association's more specious pleas, On the general question of the Council's expenditure on ad~ ministration it must be pointed out Chat the security and order enjoyed in the Settlement has a certain det Inite value to which Chinese citizens not blind.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.