23 FEBRUARY 1907, Page 17

RATES AND MUNICIPAL TRADING.

PTO THE EDIr011 08 TES “EPIICTAT08.1 SIR,—In a review in last week's Spectator we read that in Bournemouth the rates are be. in the pound. But that town rejoices in municipal trading—trams, do.—and it is a well- ordered place. Here in Poole the Corporation does not trade, and rates are now 8s. 9d. For the ten years I have lived in the borough they have never been lower than Ss. 8d., exclusive of water-rate (74 per cent.), and there is little to show for our re We have received from an anonymous correspondent a postal-order for ten shillings in response to the appeal of Mr. Shishkoff in the Times for the destitute Russians of the province of Samara.]