Mr. Hossenlopp's Suggestion the Editor of the NORTH-CUINA DAiLY News'
Suy—The Hon. Richard Feet ham, C.M.G, in his report on the [International Settlement of Shangfications of members rules affecting Ind tenure of office. It is pointed four by the eminent jurist that municipal constitutions normally Jcontain express provision as to Jeertain circumstances which have the effect of disqualifying persons from being elected as Counci [from retaining their scats That such provision so fication commonly include a clause to the effect that no person shall be elected as a Councillor or be qualified to retain his seat as such, who has been convicted of any serious crime or is under accusation of an indictable offence or under examination in bankruptcy or who hag been declared insolvent and has not been discharged from insolvency or who has been declared] of unsound mind.
Restrictions such as those mentioned have, for the most part, been recognized in the Settlement in the Past, by the goat sense of the community, as both rasenable jand necessary, and have therefore been acted on' by those concerned.
Tt is true that the provision made jin the Land Regulations jaualifications of Councillors deals Jonly with financial qualifications with the amount of the! contribution to Municipal revenue which qualifies a person to be clectfed as a member of Council.
The fact must not, however, be overlooked that by Land Regulation TX provision is made that "for the jer order and good government of the Settlement" there shall be Jan elected executive body styled a "Committee or Council", which is Jontrusted with powers of adminis-{tering the local affairs of the Settle~
The Councillors hold office for one! Iyear, the actual period being that which intervenes between the dates successive Annual meetings. The election fs held some weeks: before the date of the Annual mecting: the new Council take office immediately after the Annual meeting.
Tt ly therefore the duty of the! Council in office at the time of the jo if @ candidate possesses the requisite qualifications J—a reputation beyond reproach. The Council in office has means Jdetermine whether a candidate is qualified to stand for election. The [Council would only refuse to accept nomination if it considered it, Iwas acting in the interests of the community "for the better order Jand good government of the Settle-the Council considered it was justified in refusing to accept Jnomination the candidate could, if the chose, take action against ' the JCouncil in the Court of Foreign Consuls who would be called upon' 0 consider if the action taken by. the Council was in the interests [the foreign ratepayers as a whole for "the better order and good [government of the Settlement, ete 'A candidate whose character is} Met beyond reproach should not belt [permitted to stand for election. permit such @ person' to stand, leven if he is not returnog by the ating ratepayers, might do harm Shanghai.
ised King. Our. Councillors ate nothing is so contemptible as a Carles T of England said that
four kings; let them he men of character.
Shanghai, March' 18,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.