Oct. 18, The interim' report of the Municipat Eeanomy Committee, which appeared vestertiay's issue, is on the whole satisfactory Ire though there are some features in which must give rise (0 some concern, Periodically the police have come in for a sometimes I founded, but most instances. taking prevailing conditions, und, because of that fact, erroneous. Tt is bY means reassuring, therefore, to learn that hot nly is the police force not up. authorized strength, but the lower budget strength xreed to by. the Council for pur= pases of economy has not been maintained. The Committee recommends that certain ce sections of the Police force should be recruited up to budget strength possible, and with that recoinment cain be no quarrel whatever. 'The pity is that should ever have dropped below' it, and the th polic no longer as attractive they were steps should be taken to. adjust them.
"The committee makes the point, and it is indeed well taken, that the keystone cessful and efficient administration in Shanghai is security." The price of that, the committee says, is never cheap, and in making the recommendation they do, they realize that this will involve an increase in the police budget, which in their own interests the ratepayers must be asked to. shoulder. Brief as the interim report is on the subject there cannot be the slightest doubt that any rate the detective branch is vously overworked, and, if that is of one section, it must be So of the others. It is a very great tribute to the efficiency oF the detective branch, that whereas one executive and supervising detective would normally be expected {0 handle from 150 te 200 cases per annum, men at Louza last yeu handied between 500 and 600 each. Thee
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.