Council has been legally advised that it cannot impose a compulsory amusement tax in the Settlement, a letter has been sent to the licoricees of seventeen theatres in the Settlement suggesting vali ce-operation in applying such & tax in order assist Chinese The text of the Councils letter reads:
I am directed to address you as Licensee of the Kwangsha Theatre, with Tegard to the desire of the Council to funds to assist refugees in the Settlement.
The Council has given careful consideration to the pressing need for additional funds for refugee work, but it has been advised that it is not within the Council's powers to collect a compulsory entertainment tax similar to that recently introduced in the French Concession.
It has, therefore, been decided to approach you and all other licensees of theatres, cinemas and other places of public entertainment with the proposal that you consent voluntarily to collect and render to the Council, as a tempora ary measure from January 15, 1938, sums equivalent to those chargeable in the French Concession as Entertainment Tax. The scale is as follows:—
The U.SS. Augusta, flagship of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, sailed quietly from. Shanghai for Manila yesterday, to bring to an end one of the Longest stays any warship has had in this port. Indeed, so long had she re-Taained at her anchorage off The Bund, just ahead of the British Naval Buoys, that some difficulty was experienced getting her anchor off the bottom yesterday, so deeply was it imbedded in the mud.
The U.SS. Augusta was an extremely welcome sight when she came up the Whangpoo River, after short stay in the lower part of the river, to anchor off The Bund on August 18, only a few days after "Bloody Saturday." On board her was Admiral H. E. Yarnell, Commander-in-Chief of the US. Asiatic Fleet, and senior naval officer in port. Admiral Yarnell, incidentally. did not sail in the Augusta yesterday, for he has already transferred his fag to the U.S.S. Isabel, which has
stay. rived from Manila for an indefinite The Augusta has remained at her anchorage off The Bund ever since August, in considerable danger her-
Charge for seats $0. to $0.50 inclusive Tax|self during the many air raids and 10 per cent.
30.51 to 3040 inclusive $0.05 the shelling and battle around Poo-$051 to $200 inclusive $0.10 tung. Only two days after she had Entrance fees in excess of $2 are dropped her anchor into the muddy subject to a further tax of $005 in respect of each additional $1 or waters of the Whangpoo, she herself fraction thereof. was hit by an unidentified shell, It is felt that the publicity given to which took the life of one seaman the Counelt's proposals will client public and injured eighteen others. support for this worthy cause and merit your ce-operation. The sums collected Yesterday, she sailed for Manila and paid over to the Council will not for a muchly-needed overhaul, and be regarded as part of the Council's the date of her return to Shanghai Ordinary revenue; but wil be placed in a separate account to be allocated is uncertain. Needless to say, she wholly fo expenditure on behalf of recarries with her the heartfelt good fugees. wishes of hundreds of Shanghailand-For your information I have to enclose à list of licensees to whom a ers to whom she really has been similar letter has been sent. "an ever present help in time of In order to ensure uniformity of trouble."
Policy,. several theatre managers stated yesterday that the licoricees of the various theatres in the Settlement
MR. RISKIN WILL PLAY
would be called to a meeting at which time methods of procedure would be
AT MARINES CHURCH
discussed, Of course, no ome theatre is bound by the decision of the L One of Shanghai's most cutstandmajority, ing musicians, Mr, Michael Riskin, violinist, is featured in the Marine ABSENCE OF JAPANESE, Brigade Concert programme next Sunday morning in the Grand
WITNESS ENDS CASE
Theatre. Mr, George Singer, a pian-A case brought against four #n-ist of note, will accompany Mr. dians by the police in H.M. Pokce Riskin at the piano, Mr. Riskin will Court yesterday was dismissed thy play two violin solos "Siciliano and Mr. C. H. Haines, Registrar, as jhe Rigadon" by Franceeur and Granados' prosecution could not proceed wath "Danse Espangnole," both composi-its case owing to the absence fof tions being arranged for the violin Japanese naval witnesses. The fur by Kreisler, 'The Fourth Marines' Band, under the able direction of Indians, Kapur Singh, Tara Singh, Harchand Singh end Behari Sink", Banémaster Leon Freda, will open the Concert with the Overture were handed over to the S.MP. fby the Japanese naval authorities, ło-"Zampa" by Herald and also plays a selection by Puccini "The Bohemians." gether with several hundreds lof The excellent Concert programme yards of cloth which they were spiel will conclude with the band's rendi-to have stolen. tion of the Marines' Hymn and the It was stated in Court yesterday American National Anthem. that although the Japanese, at the time, had agreed to prosecute, they.
In the Worship Service preceding had not provided the police with the the Concert which begins at ten necessary witnesses or replied gto o'clock, Chaplain Frank R, Hamilton communications on the subject. Phe of the Fourth Regiment will deliver Registrar accordingly dismissed the the Sermon on a subject of general case, stressing the fact that he was interest, "The Problem Of Prayer," forced to do so owing to the inabil-Four members of the band personnel, ity of the prosecution to proceed. aff-Sergeant Stuart, Corporal Lee. The prosecution was represented by Private First Class Bassett, end Mr. W. Williams and the defendants Private Lufkin. offer a Trumpet
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.