Chinese were present at the meet-it" "ing. The officials present were Mr.
Stirling Fessenden—(Secretary-in General), Mr. C. Godfrey Phillips and. Major J. T. Ford Controller). The Report Mr. C. S. Franklin said:
As Chairman of the retiring Council fa ch ere only replaced ular in many This meeting of Ratepayers marks with new the passing of another strenuous ax municipal year.during which the ily "high Council has been confronted with and in mnümeroüs problems of an unusually Chinese showed dim cult and complicated character. reported These problems include such matters of. major. importance as Refugee Relief, Food and Fuel Control, Bund Facilities, Encroachment of fal Establishments upon the au- residential sections of the Western Jast Area, Restoration of Hongkew to Council Control apd Terrorism, to say nothing of the perennial problems with which the Counci] is continuously faced.
It is not my purpose to-day to dwell lat any: length upon these matters, the majority of which are fully dealt with in the Council's Annual Report for the year 1938, which I commend to the attention of those interested in municipal affairs. I shall, therefore, by gs confine my remarks in so far as possible to matters which may be deemed to be of special importance or to "require more particular. elucidation or explanation.
In this connection it may not be out of place to mention that the peculiar international character and relations of the International Settlement at.times make it impracticable if not impossible freely to discuss from. the public platform many matters of deep interest to the general public.
A subject which has been much in the public eye of Jate is to ha Terrorism
had suc-|, morn-Resort to assassination as a political flags by weapon is by no means confined to Tun high China. In the disordered condition of noon, The the so-called civilized world of to-day along Rue clu political assassinations are constantly during occurring in widely separated couns were tries, Assassination being a crime heir doors until accomplished by stealth and treachery display fags. cannot always be prevented or eradicated, and experience has de-lie, "In. their monstrated beyond question that even removal of those countries which possess the most tally tore highly trained and efficient police d onlookers organizations have not been able that wholly to eradicate this type of crime.
[willful During the past year or more a comparatively large number of poli-streets were tical assassinations have been per-"yesterday after- petrated in the Settlement. These numerous crimes have not been confined to any Rue single group or faction and some of the them have exhibited an unmistakable spectators had tendency to revert to medieval d. Occasional small psychology which is rather shocking der modern conditions.
Tu certain quarters our overworked police force has been subjected to severe and, what I consider, unjustifiable criticism for its inability wholly io prevent political crimes in the Settlement in these abnormal times.
The conditions under which our police force functions are without parallel anywhere in the world. Our municipal police perform their duties in a war-ravaged area where implacable [hatred engendered by war constantly seethes and boils beneath the surface. This area which contains a tang which, highly-congested population is honey-"sources, is secretly combed by innumerable narrow ugh streets, lanes, and alleyways, which &re the natural habitat of the assassin and gangster, and because of its geographical situation and environment is easily accessible from many directions.
These are some of the realities of an unpleasant situation which cannot be ignored.
Disturbed by the seriousness and difficulties of the problem the Japanese authorities have expressed the desire to ce-operate with the municipal police in the suppression of terrorism.
While not acquiescing in the strict tures levelled at the municipal police. the Council has accepted in a most friendly spirit the Japanese offer of ce-operation upon the condition that any measures of ce-operation must be undertaken with the consent of and under arrangement with the Commissioner of Police (Applause) which means that the exclusive right of the Settlement police to function those areas of the Settlement not under actual military occupation will be preserved, end no police function independent of the Settlement police will be permitted in such areas.
Salaries of Employees Another matter which aroused widespread interest and no little criticism was the Councils action with respect to adjustment of staff salaries and allowances.
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Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.