A Reader's Misunderstanding To the Editor of the "Norru-Cutya Dary NEWS"
Si—In your editorial on behalf of the Shanghai Municipal Council Orchestra, you state that in 1936 no provision! was.made for the Orchestra and the whole question was left open to the ratepayers, Why then does the Council appropriate $200,000 to-day? Does this mean to imply that they consider this amount ' justifiable—and so put it up to the ratepayers to oppose if they so desire?
Would it not be more appropriate if similar steps to 1936 were taken? If the same questions that were presented by the Rev. C. L. Boynton in 1936 were presented to-day, could they honestly rate a similar answer? most decidedly, No!
Your reference to the Parks needs no comment. The "Shanghai Evening Post and Mercury" replies to that remark clearly.
The fact that the Orchestra cost but 1 per cent. of the budget outlay, is certainly no reason for us to indulge jin needless expenditure! "The fact that this cultural project puts us on a par with other civilized countries, is also of no consequence, Would other civilized—countries— who have to receive funds from abroad (The Lord Mayor's Fund) for the support of the needy—indulge in similar expenditure The apathy of the Shanghai ratepayer is well known—the answer is in the attendance seen at the Ratepayers" Annual Meeting. It is high time that our community take a definite stand in this matter, and not be led by arguments of the small minority of music lovers—who could receive all the music that they desire by the simple means of buying a gramophone and records.
Economy.
Shanghai, Mar. 3.
PS. It would be interesting to know how many of the members of ihe Orchestra have other sources of income.
'The first paragraph shows a lamentable lack of municipal procedure' Al that the Municipal Council has done up to the present is to inform the ratepayer that the maintenance of the Orchestra for the next financial year is estimated to cost a certain sum. It has appropriated no money whatever for the Orchestra or ior any other ment whose estimates ha published. It is for the ratepayers to decide whether they will accept reject any estimate which the Council puts forward and they have it in their power to reject the Orchestra estimates should a majority so desire,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.