Interpreters' Valuable Services of Emergency During Period The annual report of the Director of Chinese Studies (Mr. Charles iene}, to the Shanghai Munielp council, proves that great improv: ment. on the whole was shown in Chinese studies during the year 1982, in spite of the fact that classes were suspended for six weeks in consequence of the "disturbances early in the year.
After a State of Emergency in the Settlement had been declared on January 28, it soon became obvious that in the prevailing excitement fand exigencies of the situation regular study could not be profitably: pursued; accordingly the classes Were discontinued on February and were not resumed till. Mare! 21. During this period there arose demand for interpreters, for the he foreign military authorities who had taken up their positions in the foveral sectors of the Settlement. As the Chinese teaching staff was available to meet this demand in tome measure, volunteers for service this connection were called for; the result was that Mr. H. West nidge and 32 Chinese teachers 1 lieved of their regular work were Tent to the S.V.C, Headquarters and took up duty as Interpreters tinder Major Zee. of the Chinese: Company. Mr. Westnidge was retained on the staff of Major Zee! while the teachers were drafted out Yo. the military. authorities. The new duties that devolved on Mr. Westnidge and his teachers out in the open were very different from teaching, "the Chinese language yencefully within sheltered walls.
who local colour and atmosphere were distinctly warlike, and. there] was' even an element. of personal isk to face? but occupation was welcome in those stirring days and the regponiblties were very sratit ably discharged.. It is gratifying to Hate that the personnel department gavel their services Inisundetstandings between the Chi-promptly and voluntarily to preven
nese people and the foreign troops a time when misunderstanding: could easily have led to the very Incidents sought to be avoided. These services have been gracefully acknowledged.
For the rest of the year the new rules under. the "re-organisation Scheme Were strictly carried out; to enforce the rules was an absolute necessity to"test. their efficiency, it being the third year since their introduction... The semi-annual examinations that followed showed that in nearly every case the three years' Hime limit fixed for the study of Chinese-at the Council's expense was ample for a new student to complete the course in either the Peking mandarin. or. the local' spoken Tanguage. In some exceptional instances requirements were met much less time than three years; a few students exceeded the limit a-couple of months or so before they could pass the final examination. This proves conclusively that the direct method of instruction is giving every satisfaction, that the time Iimit is reasonable and no depar-tute from the plan is called for. occupy the Russian consulate next door to the German Consulate, the Red Flag will in all probability be fying within stone's throw of the swastika emblem, examination hall This requirement arranged for and will be met early' in the new year; the working out of all the details of the scheme will thas be greatly facilitated and better concentration secured.
Work in the translation offices continued to increase in volume throughout the year; the strain imosed on the' staff was often very saw, particularly while normal conditions were being restored. Apart from translating the ordinary Chinese correspondence addressed to the Council by Government institutions, business concerns and private individuals, the daily routine, now includes the translation of; newspaper articles, rules and regulations, notifications, licence conditions, legal documents, reports, returns and the revision of old translations; this work at times was) more than sufficient to keep twal hours; mostly teanlation men fully occupied during regular
from Chinese into English. The Municipal Gazette published weekly: on Wednesdays and the annual report require specially trained men. to translate from English into Chi nese. 'The translation of the an nual report takes several weeks to complete, it is a bide de resistance, fand the' checking of, the printer's proofs is an onerous business apart from' the translating; the report vides material of a highly ised and technical character which only qualified translators can successfully deal with. During tion of the Justice Feetham's report, was com. pleted, and it was printed and Published soon after.
Mr. G. Burton Sayer, Press Information Officer, repens that, the local press, news agencies, and representatives of newspapers published elsewhere in China and abroad, have made full use of the Press information Office, which was established at the close'of 1931, in accordance with the recommendation of the special Publicity Committee, to give fuller and better formation upon munfeipal matters to the public through the medium of the press. At the close of the year 31 newspapers, news agencies and correspondents were in regular receipt of all communiques, while others were being provided with written information of particular interest to them. Exclusive of weekly statements from two departments, 420 communiques were issued during 1932 to the local newspapers (English language, Chinese, Japanese, French, German and Russian), news agencies, and correspondents of several nationalities, while material was supplied for numerous special articles upon municipal [questions and activities, and articles were written for newspapers in China and abroad.
Broadly, communiques issued may be classed under four heads, viz., outlines of contemplated action; decisions of the council upon public questions, with reasons therefor; news of departmental activities; general information of import-lance to persons having commercial jons with the Settlement. wed before the ceremony of raising the Hitler on March The press oticers maintain~ ed close relations with newspaper editors and correspondents; in addition to the communiques, during interviews with Press. representatives such information was communicated as it was possible in the Public interest to give, Further, senior offic kept in touch with press and public. opinion, Chinese and foreign, upon council' matters. The Press Information Office now supplies the news items printed in the Municipal Gazette.
The total number of books loaned from the Public Library to. subscribers during 1932 was 58,347 of which 50,019 were fiction and 8,328 were non-fiction, This was an" increase of 11,215 volumes over 1931 Altogether 16,576 persons made use fof the public reading room during the year, and on December 31, 1032, the library had 590 subscriber yearly, 175 half yearly, 103 quart ly and 4 monthly. There has been steady increase in the number of subscribers in spite of the fluctuate ing nature of the population. Although there are usually thirty more cancellations each month, the number of subscribers is about 100 more than at the beginning of the year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.