To the Editor of the "Nowru-Cunwa Dany News"
Si—In their circular letter to consumers dated October 1, 1038, the Shanghai Waterworks give notice the 20 per cent, rebate will cease to be effective as from October 9, 1938, and that accounts in respect of meters read on and after that date will be charged on the new basis, It seems to me there is something wrong with the position assumed by the Waterworks, The new price basis sanctioned by the S. M, C. clearly applies only to water—services rendered to the consumer after October 9, 1938. It has nothing to do with the date of the meter reading.
Take, for instance, the case of a factory with which I am well acquainted. In previous months the Waterworks usually did the meter reading on the 8th of each month, In September the meter was read on the 10th day; and in October it was done on the' lith day. The Waterworks then charge the account for the Ostober reading on the new price basis without the 20 per cent. rebate. Had the meter reading been done as usual on October 8, the account would have to be charged on the old basis with the 20 per cent, rebate.
The date of meter reading is under the arbitrary command of the Waterworks, Not this date, but the time either before or after October 9 for the actual water service must determine whether the old or the new water rate should be charged. In the case of the factory mentioned above, the October reading actually covers water services from September 10 to October 10 of which 29 days should be charged on the old price basis and only 2 days on the new price basis, The bill in question being about $800.00, the overcharge amounts to about $150.00.
Supposing there are 3,000 such water bills in Shanghai, the overcharge made by the Waterworks will amount 0 almost half a million dollars. Te gain for the Waterworks 1s the loss for the public, who can ill afford this ess during these very dificult times.
T therefore request the Waterworks kindly to reconsider this matter and to refund the overcharge, if any, to all consumers, Shanghai, Oct. 20,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.