Strong Speech Delivered by the Cha' rman of the §.M.C. at Dinner in the Shanghai Club A strong defence of the Shanghai of two Japanese members was assured Municipal Council, its polley, and its Sine. there were only seven other constitution was made by Mr. H. E. candidates. We can only be guided 'Arnhold at the annual dinner' of the the election statements of the Society of Chartered Accountants in Japanese candidates, but-this is not China, which was held at 8 o'clock the time or place to deal with these. on Friday night in the Snanghal Club.
It there is to be any change in the Among the -ofcial guests were Sir make-up of the Council it should be Frederick Leith-Ross, "HE, by mutual agreement and not be Arnhold, Mr. M, Res? mr. forced upon us. A good case can be Edwin Howard, Mr, Louis 2 'v, Dr. made out for the inclusion of repre-4H, Chatley, chairman of the inewtition sentatives of nations at present not of Civil Engineers, Mr. C. R. Webb, Topresented, but this is a very ditter. ehaleman of the Institution of Blectrient thing to increasing the number of cal Engineers, and Mr, J. A. Bonny-Japanese Councillors from two. to! man, chairman of the Institution of three. The time may have come when a change may be advisable in the Ina light speech, Mr. B, F. Hard~ direction of the British and Ameri-man, president. of "the society, who eans making room for one or two presided over the dinner, introduced representatives. of nationalities at the various speakers of the evening. present not represented, and T would Mr, Arnhold then sald:—ask you to give this suggestion your In the first place 1 wish to thank you very careful consideration, for having asked me to be your guest We British created the Settlement to-night. Whilst T understand that and ore proud of the same. We have afier dinner speeches should be in a built up and controlled its administra-Tighter vain, 1 venture to think you tion for over 80 years. Wo and we will be disappointed to hear mere only have made from time to time platitudes from me, and T therefore concessions in order to broaden the propose to give you briefly the history international aspect of the municipal of our predominant position on the administration. That being so, we are Shanghai Muntelpal Council and, of entitled to demand, so long as Brit. "the gradual changes which have taken Ish interests predominate, that if place in {ts composition. Before doing there is to be any change we shall 0 T would like to refer to an article continue to have adequate protection ju the "Shanghai Times" a few for our vast interests. days ago, in which it was stated: "We do not care very much if all our speech at the naval dinner Counelliors were Hottentots so long as of St. David's Society last year, J they gave us good, eMclent, just and urged' the British community not to economical administration plus a tittle Jose the predominant position In the International Settlement, which we more energy in overcoming many of the disabilities to which an ancient have Inherited from our forefathers, set of Land Regulations condemns us." through sheer apathy. The response of the foreign community in the recent Criliclem of "Fattures" election to the attack upon the status Critlelsm of the Counelt's failure to quo has been most gratifying. 1 would, effect reforms is frequently heard, but however, urge upon you not to be would be unwise for the Council Julled Into a sense of false security, to attempt anything which it has not but to continue to organize in such the necessary powers (o enforce, and 'a way that for many years to come to thus expose the weakness of Its our predominant position may con-position, Under the existing Land tinue to be unassailable despite the Rogulaticas the Council has no such continued attacks which are bound to powers, and considering the limita be made and which in future are tions under which the Council fune~ likely to be organized with greater tions It Is really amazing that so much skin, Is accomplished, Many attempts ha Been made to remedy this by altering. the by-laws, The Chinese Government has refused in every instance to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.