Thaniks to the ingenious discoverers of the week-end system, this Christmas of 1983 will. be remembered by many Shanghailanders as that of the long weekend, From Thursday onwards there-has been the sign of much quiet, stealthy flitting from this Mudflat City. If into the picture are brought the ever-increasing number of holidaymakers who spend their Christmas at sea of sotjewheng Uetween Hongkong and Mi then the week-end Becomes positively royal in its Major G. C. S. Black, GLE, M.V.0,, 0.0.F.
Director of Grosvenor House lmensions. It ix even asserted that until Shanghai has taken 1984 firmly by the hand, wiped the furtive moisture from his little mouth and verified the pronunciation of British Conjstitution—Mr. de Valera to be umpire—this week-end will not really have come to its appointed conclusion. Perhaps it were simpler to remark that Shanghai becomes a holiday town for the best part of a fortnight. If [Shanghai elects to call the period in week-end, what matter? It is exceedingly difficult just now to set down for solemn discussion some of the vexed problems of the troubled world.
With so many leading Shanghailanders mainly concerned with the joys of houseboating, motoring over new provincial highways, golf, paper-hunting and lather excuses for getting "air jand okker," it is surely a waste jof time to speculate on what the Conference experts call world problems. If notable decisions had to be made. by. statesmen during this week-end, it would ive surprising to hear that anyone took an interest inthem. Indeed hat marvellous modern machine, the news agency, has already shown signs of easing off. And, to let the public into a secret, there will be at least a couple of short spells; during the next ten days, when the news agency. will refuse to allow the world anything. Or rather the world will be told that whatever it oes, that will not Be given the benefit of publicity, A poor newspaper has to fill its columns, except that it releeives two separate and complete days of holiday. In desperation it tends to become didactic, quasi-humorous, deprecating and frivolous. ' Much of its sweetness—if any—is wasted on the desert air. In these days the always enthralling front page of the "North-China Daily News" becomes the chief provider of mental pabulum for the reader. On ordinary oclea sions that page may be the first to which the discerning Shanghailander turns but others Ihave, at least, some claim to attention. Now, with shopping in the immediate prospect and the receipt of letters, Christmas fears, invitations and presents Jan ordeal of the next degree, the reader has to ration his newspaper reading. So it may be suspected that yesterday, for example, after noting, in' - the first column of all, Tientsin's need for a British Inspector of Nuisances, the reader immediately pounced with joy on the seasonable greetings of the Customs House, whence Brand announced a joyous intention to make holiday from New Year's Eve to January 4. Therefrom' the mind could" run riot through the various notices in the true spirit of Christmas. Suggestions for Christmas presents, for Christmas cheer—even' the Country Hospital's
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.