A. special committee was then set up to advise the Council upon the whole matter of the effect of the emergency upon the Industry. This committee consisted of Messrs. BY, B, Kiang and Yulin Hsi, Members' of Council, Mr. 'T. K. Ho, Deputy Secretary, Mr.. Middleton, Deputy Treasurer—Revenue, and Superintendent Stubbings, Rickshaw Control Omcer. This committee has recommended and the Council has approved the collection of 60 cents per rickshaw towards the P.M.A.A. funds for the month of November, and $1.00 monthly. thereafter until the removal of curfew restrictions, when the standard collection $1.50 will be resumed. Correspon~ ingly the owner may not until then impose the full authorised rental charge.
The Council's decisions were Gietated by a desire on the one hand to afford temporary relief to the rickshaw industry, pressed ast was by abnormal circumstances, and at the same time to preserve far as possible the important welfare work for the pullers rendered by the PMLAA. regard to the renewal of pullers' licences a postponement of the date fixed (October) was requested by the owners upon the Ground that a large number of the regular pullers.were absent from Shanghai, 'The owners claimed that only about 20 per cent. of the originally locused pullers were still Shanghai and that any' building up of their numbers to the former evel could only be by a gradual process involving several months, The Council for a time, i view of the abnormal conditions, allowed the pulling of public rickshaws unlicensed persons, but it has now been decided to' commence the renewal of licensing of public pullers for 1938 on November' 1, 1037, and to take police action against' un-Hicerised pullers as soon as the process has been completed.
'A considerable number of public rickshaws having been destroyed the opportunity was taken to consider whether replacement was advisable in the public interest. dt wis de-elded that advantage should not be taken of the misfortunes of owners in order at this time further to reduce the number of public rickshaws and that owners who #0 desire shall be permitted to replace such Vehicles as have been destroyed. No time limit for replacement has at resent been specified, but this question is to be considered at some future date,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.