The Council's scheme for licensing pharmacies in order to control the Sale of drugs and poison, again had to be abandoned owing to the disturbed political situation and the difüculty during a time of financial stringency in meeting the heavy cost involved in a scheme of control that could be regarded as adequate.
Towards the end of the year, it was found necessary to increase educational fees in Council schools by 25 in foreign schools and 15 per cent, in Chinese schools. While daily admission tickets to public parks! yea has remained unchanged, the price of 1938.
The number of Chinese refugees was further reduced from 50,000 to 33,000 and efforts will be continued to reduce this number as far as possible. Considerable trouble was experienced by the Council with regard io the establishment of cetin re-posi tories within the residential districts of the Settlement. Repositories previously established were prevented from expanding while in one case an unauthorized extension was removed. The establishment of new repositories was also ly checked.
The Council decided' to issa6 Tong service medals to the Volunteer Reserve of the Shanghai Fire Brigade and this award will be made to members of the unit upon completion of 20 years efficient service in the Brigade.
The Court of Consuls composed of Mr. C. E. Gauss, Consul-General for the United States (chairman), Sir Herbert Phillips, H. M. Consul-General and Mr. Y. Miura, Japanese Consul-General, heard two cases dur. ing the year. In the fir&t case, the claim of an ex-detective sergeant who had been dismissed by the Council, was heard. It was ruled by the Court that the-case should be reconsidered with a view to altering and modifying the punishment of dismissal. A second case of an ex-member of the Russian Regiment S. V. C. was also heard but judgment had not been given by the end of the Mr. S. Fessenden, Secretary-between the basic policies and special regional conditions. He also touched on the three principles of friendly relations, joint anti-Cominternism and economic ce-operation as contained in the Konoye statement and their references to the basic policies relating fo the new Government.
Lieut. Yanagawa was due to leave for Shanghai today or tomorrow.—
Domei.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.