Oriental Advertising Agency. Advertising Hoardings. Western District. 8 - CL 2303 & 2610. 1922-1924. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2457-2486)

Letter from the Oriental Press to the Public Works Department. Shanghai, October 25, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2458)

We are sending you herewith two applications for permit to erect advertising billboards at two spaces, namely at Weihaiwei Road facing Yates Road and at Jessfield Road corner of Yu Yuen Road. The attached sketch will show the kind of structure we propose to erect.
In Weihaiwi Road, we propose to erect the billboards instead of the ugly looking fence that is there at present.

Letter from Commissioner of Public Works to Oriental Press. Shanghai, October 26, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2459)

With reference to your letter of the 25th instant, in which you apply for a permit to erect advertising hoardings fronting Weihaiwei and Jessfield Roads, I shall be obliged if you will kindly let me have a rough sketch showing the exact position in which it is proposed to erect the hoardings.  

Letter from the Oriental Press to Commissioner of Public Works. Shanghai, October 27, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2460)
 
Referring to your favour of October 26th, please find enclosed herewith two rough sketches showing the exact position in which it is proposed to erect the hoardings.

Report by Commissioner of Public Works to Secretary & Commissioner General. "Proposed advertising hoardings - Jessfield and Yuyuen Roads; North of Cad. Lot 2610, Yates and Weihaiwei Roads, East of Cadastral Lot 2303 - Letters from the Oriental Press dated 25th & 27th Oct, 1922". Shanghai, November 2, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2461)

"Proposed advertising hoardings - Jessfield and Yuyuen Roads; North of Cad. Lot 2610, Yates and Weihaiwei Roads, East of Cadastral Lot 2303 - Letters from the Oriental Press dated 25th & 27th Oct, 1922". Messrs. the Oriental Press have applied for permits to erect advertising hoardings in the above positions. / As the corner of Yates and Weihaiwei Roads is now no longer residential district, and permits have already been issued for similar hoardings adjoining the Jessfield and Yuyuen Roads's site, I recommend that the permits be issued on the usual terms with a provision that the entire structures be removed without compensation upon receipt of one month's notice from the Council, as both the proposed sites are on land scheduled for road widening.  

Extract from Municipal Gazette dated November 30th, 1922 - Council Meeting Nov 22nd, 1922. Shanghai, November 22, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2464)

Advertising Hoardings. Applications which have previously been circulated to members are submitted for permission to erect advertising hoardings at the corners of Jessfield and Yuyuen Roads, and Yates and Weihaiwei Roads. Dealing with the second application first, members record their approval to the issue of the necessary permit. Dealing next with the first application, members expressed themselves strongly in favour of restricting advertising of this character in places which are situated in a residential district or, as in this case, at the junction of a road which is in proximity to and is the main road of access to such a district. Accordingly the applicants will be informed that in this particular instance their application cannot be sanctioned.

Letter from Platt & Company - on behalf of their client Mr. HP Wilkinson-  to Secretary & Commissioner General. Shanghai, December 1, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2465)
 
We are instructed by our clients, Mr. M.P. Wilkinson, to address you on the subject of a publication in the Gazette of November 30 under the heading "Advertising Hoardings". Our client, as a Ratepayer and owner of land in the vicinity of Yates and Weihaiwei Roads, would be glad to know at exactly what point or points at the corner of these roads it is proposed taht hoardings should be erected. We are further instructed to point out that the corner of these two roads is still a residential district and the junction is one of two roads which contain many foreign residences and each of which is a road of access to many other residences.
Similar facts in the case of the Jessfield and Yuyuen Roads are expressly stated in the publication as the ground for refusal of a permit for hoardings in those roads, and our client hopes that on reconsideration of the matter, the Council will conclude that a permit should be refused in the case of the two roads first mentioned.
We are also instructed to ask for an early reply.

Memo by Assistant Secretary to Commissioner of Revenue - "Advertising Hoardings - Jessfield & Yuyuen Roads, Yates & Weihaiwei Roads". Shanghai, December 7, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2467)

In dealing with the enclosed copy application from the Oriental Press, the Council has approved the erection of an advertising hoarding at the corner of Yates and Weihaiwei Roads (as shown on rough sketch), but has refused the application as regards Jessfield and Yueyuen Roads. To enable a reply to be addressed to the applicants, will you please inform me what annual rate per square foot you would recommend should be charged.

Report by Commissioner of Public Works to Secretary General - "Advertising Hoardings - Yates & Weihaiwei Roads - East of Cadatral Lot 2303 - Letter from Messrs. Platt Company dated December 1, 1922".  Shanghai, December 8, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2469)

Although the Yates and Weihaiwei Roads lead and pass through a residential district, the hoarding in the position proposed will not be in sight of any foreign occupied house, and as the applicants for the permit are prepared to construct a hoarding of superior design, I do not consider that it will be detrimental to the locality. The site of the proposed hoarding is shown on the plan which accompanied my report of the 22nd ultimo on this subject.

Letter to Oriental Press from Assistant Secretary. Shanghai, December 30, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2472)

With reference to your application for permission to erect an advertisement hoarding in Weihaiwei Road, on the South West corner of the Junction between this road and Yates Road, I am directed to inform you that the Council approves your application in this respect, but is not prepared to sanction your request to erect a hoarding at the corner of Jessfield and Yuyuen Roads, as in the latter case the Council considers that such a structure would be detrimental to the neighborhood, which is entirely residential. As to the hoarding in Weihaiwei Road, the Council, after dure consideration, has fixed the rate payable thereon at Tls. 2 per sq. Ft. Per annum.  

Letter to Messrs. Platt & Co. from Assistant Secretary. Shanghai, December 30, 1922. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2473)

I am directed to refer to your letter of December 1, relative to the erection of an advertisement hoarding in Weihaiwei Road, and in reply thereto to state for your information, that the proposed site is situated on the South West corner of the Junction of Weihaiwei and Yates Road and, the Council is informed, would not be in view of any foreign residence. The Council has given consideration to your suggestion that a permit for the erection of the hoarding should be refused, but regrets that it is unable to accede thereto, as in its opinion the hoarding will not be detrimental to the locality.

Letter from Oriental Press to S.M.C. Secretary. Shanghai, January 6, 1923. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3258 (2474-2475)

We are in receipt of your communication of December 30th, 1922, No. 1641 and are glad to note that we are authorised to erect an Art Billboard structure in Weihaiwei Road on the South west corner of the junction between this road and Yates Road. We also note that the rate payable thereon has been fixed at Tls. 2.00 per sq.ft. per annum.
We would sate in reply that owing to the tax being 2, 000% higher that the usual tax paid on other locations, we shall sustain considerable losses, however, we are ready to bear it vecause we are convinced that our structure will undoubtedly improve this place by covering the black fence and the old chinese house which have no decorative value. We shall in this ways be able to show that the new Art advertising billboards which it is our aim to introduce in Shanghai are in no way a public nuisance or an eye-sore.
It is our amibition to improve as much as possible outdoor advertising at this Settlement and we have therefore decided to pay the tax demanded in this instance and hope that this time we shall be able to prove to you that billboard can very well serve to beautify surroundings. If we can convince you of this, we hope that you will in this instance (p.2/2) reconsider the prohibitive taxation imposed.