Franklin, the last of who ni replied to Mr. Stewart's criticisms of Council employees, which were to the general trend that they were throwing dust in the eyes of the Councillors. Those on the platform included Mr. C. S. Franklin, the retiring chairman, Mr. W. H. Plant, Mr. V. St: J. Killery, Mr. F. Matthews, Mr. W. S. King, Mr. R. G. MacDonald, Mr. T. Yamamoto, and Mr. O. Okamoto, Councillors; Mr. S. Fessenden, Secretary-General; Major J. T. Ford, Treasurer and Controller; and Mr. G. G. Phillips, Secretary.
The piéliminary business of the meeting went through with its usual smoothness and despatch. Sir Allan Mossóp was elected to the chair; Mr. T. Beesley to be secretary of the meeting; Mr. Eric Crone was elected to the Land Commission; and Drs. A. C. Bryson and T. D. Dunn, W. H. Plant and Brigadier-General B. Macnaghten to serve on the Board of Governors of the Shanghai General Hospital.
In introducing the resolution. proposing the adoption of the report and accounts, Mr. C. S. Franklin; the retiring chairman, omitted comment on matters of routine, which have received plenty of publicity in extracts from the Municipal Reports which have already been published. For various reasons he also dealt in general fashion only with the problems and complications which have arisen in the Settlement out of the Sino-Japanese hostilities.
"I know," he said, "that you are all intensely interested in the situation which now confronts us; but as the final outcome clouded in obsecurity and the trend of future events uncertain, I trust you share my view that the present moment ig not opportune for discussing the many complicated problems which give rise to grave concern and anxiety. I' wish, however, to take this opportunity of assuring you that the Council is watching closely the interests of those ratepayers and special ratepayers who live in the areas affected by the hostilities."
Mr, Franklin then touched upon the desire which was widespread after the hostilities of 1932 that something should be done to prevent Shanghai from again becoming a theatre of war. Attempts in this direction, he went on, had unfortunately failed to accomplish anything of a practical nature. The relentless march of political events thus overwhelmed the Settlement in the catastrophe of August 13, 193%, 'a catastrophe of much greater magnitude and more far-reaching consequences.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.