To the Editor of the "Noxru-Cuxa Dany News"
Sim—As a long-standing acquain-anes of all the three Trustees, 1 happen to know something of the events, which have led up to the suggested sale of the Cathedral Lawn: and the letters published in your issue of the 20th appear to me £0 inconsistent with the facie and. exhibiting such distorted views that 1 feel T must in fairness express an opinion which I know is at least based on facts.
be understood that the Cathedral has endowment (other thin income derived from the Honan Road proerty and Municipal Council for road widening, amounting to some.$12.300 nett) and. when built, served a British population of about 600 persons. To-ay there are 10,000 British persons Shanghai and naturally the expenses increase with the numbers to be served. Undoubtedly, in 1008, the Honan, Road property was leased {0 bring in income because the position then' was much the same as it is today.
"As to the Cathedral Boys' School, Suascnmmen seems to think that 2 coach and four can be driven through specific clause in a will. Purthermore, the Late Henry Lester. left money for a School Building only: where does "Suascmen think that the money for his purchase of school grounds is to come from?
With regard to the removal of the Cathedral to some other spot, surely that idea stultifes the whole argument against selling the Cathedral Lawn and the "striving for beauty" ete. I. may" here add that Tom assured that in no. elreumstances. whatever would the present Trustees consider the sale of any of the con-serrated ground.
Sunscnsen is anile wrong in his statement that there would be no. consideration for the Cathedral: The Trustees will assuredly see to that, If Susscnmen has not heard of any serious effort to raise funds he must be a hermit.
With regard 10 Op. Resipenr's suggestion of selling the Honan Road site: does he realize the enormous discount that woud have to be accepted—even if a purchaser could be found who would invest a large sum of money in purchase. of land, and buildings at present values bear-Ing little or no interest for 9 years, and chance its value at the end of that period—not to mention that the buildings would then possibly be able to condemnation, The sale of the Kiukiang Road property cannot be made without the consent of the Lester Trustees. The Cathedral Trustees have been working hard for the past two years to formulate some scheme to this end: lis use as a bank has been considered over and over again.
As to his question regarding a proposed new site for a Western Church; surely this is futile and unnecessary?
With regan! to Youxsine's "finan cial bogey": this was mier In 1930, for] Many of the public insisted that the money would be forthcoming: and for a few weeks when enthusiasm was at its height it w but only a small sum was realized. I should not Uke to soy what 1 think about the suggestion of lotteries. The site of the Cathedral was given as stated in the original Trusts: "To be used for the worship of Almighly God according {0 the forms of worship - and discipline of the Church of England, Tt seems to me that the exchange of part of the Lawn for a Church in the West End is more in accordance with the terms of the original Trust than maintaining it for a breath of fresh air in the heart of Shanghai particularly as there are, recording, fo his own statement, many British, regular church-goers at home, who. who are not even sure where the Cathedral fs. The sale of the Lawn can hardly affect these.
T cannot agree with the statement that the Clergy are working in the wrong direction. The trouble is that they are much overworked, For 2 community of the size there should be double the number. We have three clergy for 10,000 people.
Yonxsiun: makes a definite statement that the money for a new Church will be "forthcoming. The Cathedral authorities would surely welcome further details.
Mr. Quick has referred to the Freewill" Offering Scheme, which has been the result of an Intensive campaign in which letters have" eon addressed (0 all Churchmen 'Shanghai: and in addition to this, subscriptions have also been' asked from those who were here and are now in England.
To cap the futility of these sugges tions, "which shew a lack of understanding of the situation, we have the suggestion in this week's "Finance Commerce," in an otherwise excellent and ' understanding article, that the Cathedral Trustees should sell B. C. Lot No, 178 in Siking Road, a piece "of property which does not leven belong to the Cathedral, Shanghai, February 27.
'Trustees' Statement To the Editor of the "Nonru-Ciuna Dancy News'
Sin—As some misapprehension seems to exist with regard to the meeting of subscribers to" the [Cathedral, and the reasons for its cancellation, we think it well to clu cldate the situation, A certain amount of doubt has been cast on the Interpretation of some of the clauses of the Trust Deed and until there are cleared up
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.