Sept. 26.
The Shanghai Municipal Coun, views on its power of inspecting factories within the International Settlement were ly (Stated Municipality of Greater Shanghai that the right to inspect factories within the Settlement lies with that body. In the opinion of the Council there is no foundation for this claim. "Comparatively recent court cases have done much to remove any doubt that the Land Regulations "under which the Council has administered the Settlement for many years confer upon the Council full police power."
The discussions between Mr. Stirling Fessenden and Mr. 0. K. Yui as preliminary to negotia tion with the authorities of the neighbouring Municipality obviously had their inspiration from this further passage in Mr. A.D. Bell's speech:
"The Council regards it as desir able to reach, if possible, an understanding with the Chinese authorities by which a. common plled by both administrations series of regulations will be aporder that no differentiation or unequal competition may occur the industrial area of Shangh But it should be noted that Mr, Bell went on to declare that tha institution of "practical mone sures towards health and safety" was a matter of the. "first urgency" and that factory inspection ranked with public health as an important charge ouf the Council's attention. He con= cluded by reaffirming the Couns cil's desire to ce-operate with the City Goverment of Greater Shanghai but also a determina ion "at all costs to maintain unimpaixs its administrative control of the International Settlement, And, integrity "within the limits and if sanctioned by the Ri myers, to licence Chines foreign-owned factories auk The Ratepayers at that meeting gave their sanction without dissentient, The issue seems to be clear-cut on the basis of the quotations made. Yet the long-drawn out conversations bee tween the representatives of the two municipal administration have not produced a definite result. This unhappy deadlock ig Tiable to hamper the process of ce-operation. The close liaison which the Council should establish with the French Concession thorities, who also have this matter under discussion, may finding ime a examination of the course of the discussions and the events which Jed up to them may be illumi" nating.
Tt will be recalled that, at the time of the Ratepayers meeting the authorities of—Greater Shanghai were faced by a cere tain movement against factory. inspection among Chinese indus+ trialists. Partly to deal with those representationg and partly to fulfil the requirements political ritual to which, from ime to time, even the most lighted administrator tribute, denials of th Council's power to inspect, face tories were made public. They could hardly have been ly intended in the light of the sub sequent arrangement where; Mr. Fessenden and Mr, Yui tool
whole subject, for clearly Mr, informal discussion of the Fessenden's attitude was dete mined by the terms of the Chairman's speech which govern ed the sanction given by the Ratepayers to the Couns cil's proposals. If the reports available are correct the Council was prepared to go a long way to meet the views of the City Government for the suggestion that a joint, inspectes rate under the Council's control should be set up on. the lines adopted for the tobacco. tax clearly disregarded the fundamental differences between the collection of a tax for the Chinese Government and the performance of inspectorial functions by the Council in accordance with its own conception of the interests of tha public. Indeed there are some, who would maintain that, itt agreeing to discus torate, the Council's representative was taking a considerable risk for it would be doubtful, to, say the least of it, whether the conditions of uniformity, which Mr. Bell in April Lai sucht stress would be secured. How-fter_ a long series of dise the problem remain The City Government right. to inspect face tories in the Settlement and denies the Council's claim to perform that duty.
Of the urgency of this issue there can be no doubt, 'Tragic happenings of the year, intimate knowledge of the appalling conditions which prevail in mang: factories in the Settlement and of the need for regular super' vision in order to keep even the well-run organisations up to the mark demanded by humanity hygiene and common decency have made it unnecessary to labour that point. The two municipal authorities are believ" ed to be at one in recognising this public duty. Yet the hitd arises from ca insistence off
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.