Council very often discussed with the Chinese authorities the question of the enforcement of Chinese laws and regulations in the Seltiement? And this results in a fresh diminution of the authority of the Council and the Settlement finds itself being slowly but surely nibbled away. Our contemporary speaks of a mined position. The term is exact. But where are the 'As' for the Chinese consolidated taxes, collected on the security of certain local Chinese loans made 10 foreign establishments, here again it was the Shanghai Municipal Council which had conducted the negotiations.
Its the Shanghai Municipal Council which had concluded an agreement with the Chinese Customs permitting the Customs to carry out actual Potice activities in the Settlement. These activities, as everybody knows, have given rise to extraordinary judicial Jcomplications. Tt was, doubtless, for these reasons that certain foreign elements have reproached the Council with having, at times, anticipated the desiderata of the other side.
Outside Reads Problem As regards the problem of extra-'Settlement reads, it has been divided Into two parts in the plan of estabishing a northern zone (which will be under the influence of Japanese) and a western zone (Sino-foreign). A. laboured discussion has been going fon between the Council and the /Shanghai City Government for more than two years.
Tt has been said that mone of these excessive concessions have brought any real benefit {o China. The rend tion of the Mixed Courts was an indirect cause—but_ a very efleacious fone—of the hostilities in Shanghsi. In the Far East as elsewhere thre are persons who draw chestnuts out of the fire for others.
Our contemporary expresses the hope that the Powers concerned will give a little more attention te the Far East in general and to the foreign Settlements of Shanghai in particular. Tt is quite right. Others demand that in the meantime the slipping of unwarranted surrenders on the gradient will cease.
Such are, with the Japanese claims. the tendencies of the new civic spirit which, according to observers, has manifested itself among numerous, foreigners in the Selllement—csa. board the se, Taksang on Friday for Ca, officials on the occasion of the of some of the visitors Inthe dining the boat deck and the main deck.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.