SHANGHAI.
349
or occupants paying a rental of a thousand francs per annum, or residents with an annual income of four thousand francs. This, it will be noticed, approaches much more nearly to "universal suffrage" than the franchise of the other Settlements, which, however, will be considerably reduced should the new Regulations ever become law. The qualification for councillors North of the Yang- king-pang is the payment of rates
the payment of rates to the amount of fifty taels annually, or being a householder paying rates on an assessed rental of twelve hundred taels. For the French Concession the requirement is a mouetary one of about the same amount. Several efforts have been made to amalgamate the French with the other Settlements, but hitherto without succ: ss. Meetings of ratepayers are held in February of each year, at which the budgets are voted and the new Councils instructed as to the policy they are to pursue. No important measure is undertaken without being referred to a special meeting of ratepayers. The Council divides itself into Defence, Finance, Watch, and Works Committee. This cosmopolitan system of Government has for many years worked so well and so cheaply, that Shanghai has fairly earned for itself the name of "The Model Settlement."
The Revenue of the "Anglo-American" Settlement for 1881 amounted to Tls. 251,308.24, and was derived as follows:-
Land Tax, four-tenths of 1 per cent.
General Municipal Rate, Foreign Houses, 8 per cent.... General Municipal Rate, Native Houses, 10 per cent. Contribution from Toutai as Commutation of Wharfage Dues. Licences, principally opium ships and jinrickshas Sinking Fund and Interest
Miscellaneous, including Local Post Office
24
Surplus from 1880 Tls. 3,960.12, Sale of Stores Tls. 7,715.05.
Tls. 31,205.28
35,697,57
77,099.44
10,302.25
62.870.03
13,152.61
305.89
11,675.17
Tls. 251,308.24
The Expenditure for the same year was Tls. 262,863.37, and may be divided as
under :-
Sanitary Department, including Hospitals
Lighting
J
44
Tls. 49,076.93
Police Department
27,910,92
+1
15,655.82
Public Works, including Garden, Cemeteries, and outside roads Secretariat, Legal and General
97,998,29
...
+
29,414.26
Loan, Interest, and Sinking Fund
21,359.49
+
Volunteers Tls. 5 940.19, Fire Department Tls. 6,6 5.83.. Public Band Tls. 4,354.15, Museum Tls. 500, Library Tls. 250 Local Post Office
12,616.02
5,104.15
3,727.49
P
Tls. 262,863.37
were
The Dues on Merchandise, formerly the largest source of revenue, abandoned in 1881, and in place thereof the Land and Foreign House tax s were raised one-third and native house tax one-fourth; most of the Licence fees were also increased. The Municipal Revenue and Expenditure for 1882 were estimated at Tls. 268,390.
The Revenue of the French Concession for 1881 was Tls. 117,929.55. The sources from which it was derived were:
Land Tax, three fourths of 1 per cent.... Foreign House Tax, 4 per cent....
Tls. 8,729.14
2,419.45
Native House Tax, 8 per cent.
23,324.82
Licences, principally jinricksbas, maisons de tolérance and
opinm shops
41,252.86
Cleaning and Lighting Rates and other Taxes
19,751.55
Paid by the Taotai and rent of quays and jetties Miscellaneous receipts Balance from 1879
15,387.52
+1
•
144
..
4,344.52
+
2,719.69
Tls. 117.929.55