16
GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL.
was to be expected, seeing the unlooked-for burden falling upon the funds during the year just concluded. The affairs of the Municipality have been administered under the Land Regulations and Bye laws, 1870, and seeing the ease with which the rules have worked, the Council cannot refrain from congratulating the community upon having a code of local laws adapted to its requirements, as well as popular with the residents, both foreign and native.
These rules came into operation on the 15th March, 1870.
In Shanghai may be seen the essence of local self-government. however, laws to which foreigner and native are alike amenable.
They are,
The foreign Councils administer the municipal affairs. They are elected by the community. They tax themselves, and, although Chinese do not sit at the Council meetings, their interests are largely represented and cared for by an influential and wealthy class of foreigners, having considerable interest in Chinese house property.
Composition and Constitution of Councils.
French Council...
Anglo-American ditto ...
...
French.
English.
American.
German.
Danish.
Total.
5
8
:
4
2
12
1
9
2
1
9
5
4
5
3
1
18
The Consul-General for France is President of the French Council. The Anglo-American Council elects its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and is free from Consular influence in its deliberations.
One of the foreign Consuls is generally a Councillor, but then he takes his seat at the Board in the capacity of a ratepayer, hot a Consul. The money qualification is necessary for a Councillor on the French side, while for the Anglo-American side a Councillor must be ratepayer to the amount of 50 taels annually. The Municipal Councillors on the French side are nominated for two years; half of the number retire each year. The Anglo-American Council holds office for one year only.
The election of Councillors for both districts takes place in April and May in each year.
To facilitate the transaction of business each Council appoints its own Sub- Committee, viz. :-Finance, Public Works, and Watch Committees.
The number of voters in the Anglo-American quarter is about 309, and for the French side 220, exclusive of Chinese. The qualification of voters differs in the two quarters. On the French side the qualification consists in the voter owning, in virtue of a regular title-deed granted by any foreign Consul, land within the limits of the French concession, or occupying as renter the whole or part of an estate on the Concession, and paying an annual rental of at least 1,000 francs, or residing on the Concession for more than three months, and being able to prove an annual income of 4,000 frs.; while the voter in the Anglo-American district must be an owner of land to the value of not less than 500 taels, whose annual payment of taxes must be 10 taels, or a householder paying an assessed rental of at least 500 taels. This latter franchise of course allows a preponderance of votes to the French side. The numbers of the voters at the late election of Councillors were as follows:-
French side....
Anglo-American district.
.204
197
Communications between the Councils and the Chinese authorities pass through the hands of the foreign Consuls.
G
Foreign Consular Representatives.
The following Powers are represented by Consuls at this port:-Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, North German Confederation, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Norway, United States, Great Britain.
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