Shanghai polo umpires, who sometimes have harsh things said about the manner in which {they perform their functions, should take heart from-the remarks on the subject by the polo correspondent of "The Times." The much blamed race gets hard knocks all over the world, and the tribute contained in the extract below, should help to assuage hurt feelings if fany, though the chances are. that Shanghai polo umpires, as elsewhere, are a tough lot and well able to take care of themselves.
There has been much talk of the umpire this seaton, and much il-natured and. illecon= sidered erilicism. "There has been "much talk of too much whistle," but It players did not foul they would not' get' penalized, and the lumpites have the mest exacting and. most dimeult Job to do. "Very rightly they. insisted fon the proper difficult observance of the Files, "which makes for better polo and a desirable absence of accidents, and from what T have. seen this year these duties were carried out admirably. To err Is human, 14 no man could hope to get through season without a single mistake. but those who played in London owe much of their jel, give themselves much labour with ward. Not so. very long ago it was to thank the umpires at the end sine, This piece of good manners nowadays seems to be honoured in the breach rather than the observance. To those who eritielze T would urge that they should make 4 constant practice of volunteering to oMciate. in order either to show the way or else to experience at first hand the diMiculties of this When Winter Comes The autumnal touch in the air these early morning is sufficient proof that summer has really gone, and that pleasanter days will soon. be here. Not that this year's summer has been 'a particularly bad one. Indeed it has been comparatively cool with only a few days of undue humidity, 'The large amount of rain which fell [during the late spring and early summer was [undoubtedly responsible for keeping the streets [fairly clean at a time of overcrowding, when the accumulation of filth was a very' great danger to health, and though the cholera epidemic was serious enough, it is a happy fact that Shanghai escaped a worse affliction. From health point of view it is to be anticipated that the city will present very much the same problems as those of last autumn and winter, and with any luck at all they should prove no graver. That is to be hoped for, because there still an enormous amount of' surplus population in the city, which is likely to remain until conditions in the surrounding areas are very much better than they are at present, Probably {the chief difculfies with which Shanghai will have to contend during the coming months will) [centre around questions of living conditions, and [particularly that of heating. Much anxiety' has Jalready been caused by the increase in the price of coal and the possibility of further increases, and at the moment there does not Jappear to be any relief in sight. There [something in the contention that the Municipal [Council might investigate what can be done fu the matter, and, if it is at all possible to) obtain supplies at a' reasonable price, something, should certainly be done in the matter. The case of the small salaried man is becoming increasingly serious, Increases in the rates utility services may not inflict much hardship on the man drawing a substantial remuneration, But on those whose monthly income is below say $500 the increases already provided for, together with the undeniable rise in the cost of domestically produced foodstuffs, are creating 'a heavy burden with which he is ill-able to cope, while for most of them imported foodstuffs are already almost out of the question.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.