To the Editor of the font-Curva Dany News"
Sm—I only read your leader of yesterday inthe late afternoon or you would have had a more prompt Feply. The urgent appeal to British voters to exercise their privilege and duty of voting reads like an extract from many similar appeals I made myself years ago when taking a leading part in the activities of the Shanghai Ratepayers Association, For nearly a decade I have been inhibited under Clause 92 of standing orders relating to the Council, its Commissions and committees from discussing Council affairs publicly for during that period T have con~ stantly served on either the Coun-ell, its Commissions and Committees. In' any event the Assodiation died owing to the incorrigible apathy of the Ratepayers. None the less Justice Feetham considered Its records fof much value after a careful study them.
Tt is the later part of your com-meng to which I most. emphatically protest. In all the years T have been Shanghat I have never seen editorial comment in the "North China" express such glaring misstatements In respect of a Municipal election. Your statement that "To vote for any other—(than the five persons hamed)—is to be throwing away a British vote" is s0 obviously unfair as not only to justify my emphatic protest but is, as T have reason, Feady to believe, calculated to feat the purpose for which such statement was employed.
'The reference to myself in to-day's leader mitigates to some extent the indignation occasioned by that of the day before which every' fair-minded resident who has maintained an interest In civic unit is justified. tances I trust you will publish the following statement.
Thad no intention of ever again' being a candidate until 2 few weeks ago when a member of the Council called on me. and the course of conversation in~ formed me that no less than three of the present Council would not be standing again. Tt appeared probable that tage nominations of sitable persons and especially those having a previous record in Council affairs Were submitted no election would be necessary. I, therefore, announced my willingness to stand! only if fired to fill a vacancy and to withdraw if any other suitable person could be induced to do so. T was treatly surprised to learn on the afternoon of the Sth inst. just before leaving for Japan that another would be proposed who, having been only resident of Shanghai for less than two years, could not possibly, have the experience which to my mind is essential fora member of the Council and naturally I was not dis~ posed to withdraw in favour of one who is still a comparative stranger our midst however capable in other respects.
There is much to be said in favour of new blood in the administration of the Settlement but in view of the resent complexity of our problems demanding an intimate knowledge of their origin the better to solve them it Is open to question whether it is wise at this Juncture to drop our experienced civic pilots whilst their services are still available.
No one, Mr. Editor, knows better than you do that apart from my long and intimate acquaintance with civic affairs T have also in other ways devoted much time, effort and personal expense in the endeavour to further British interests in China and in ways that can only be known to but fow and with no possibility of recognition or anticipation of material reward When the "North Chin makes the statement, to which T take
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.