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to enforce the order for payment to headquarters to meet military requirements, orders were issued accordingly to the Trainband to collect the tax and send it forward within time-limit of one week. Since then a long time has elapsed; but as yet the Trainband has made no remittance to this office; this implies serious negligence and delay.
This order is hereby issued instructing the Trainband to obey the previous order and promptly to send here the amount due. In the event of any further negligence or delay, the head of the Trainband will be summoned and payments will be enforced without any leniency,
LI CHIH,
Magistrate.
30th day of the 7th month of the 8th year of the Chinese Republic (the 30th July, 1919).
IF
99
The following reply has also been received from the Civil Governor of Fukien :-
Opium suppression was formerly very successful in Fukien. Last year, however, owing to the occurrence of military operations, bandits and bad characters have become prevalent throughout the country-side, and have taken the opportunity of distributing the seed. Under the circumstances this could scarcely have been avoided. Circular instructions are, however, now being issued for strict suppression, and if as much as an inch of poppy plant appears above ground, the local officials as well as the illicit cultivators are most severely punished. It is also proposed to put into operation a provisional scheme for the probibition of cultivation in eight articles, which is submitted for consideration."
I have, &c.
Seal of Wai-chino Pu.
No. 41.
No. 42.
Mr. Lampeon to Earl Curzon. (Received May 7.)
My Lord,
Peking, March 11, 1920. WITH reference to Sir John Jordan's despatch of the 27th August, 1919, I have the honour to transmit herewith translation of a letter from the Wai-chiao Pu replying to the complaints then made regarding opium cultivation in Szechuan and Fukien.
Copies of the Wai-chiao Pu's letter are being forwarded to His Majesty's consular officers in Szechuan and Fukien for their information,
I have, &c.
MILES W. LAMPSON.
My Lord,
Mr. Lampson to Earl Curzon. (Received June 11.)
Peking, March 19, 1920. WITH reference to Sir John Jordan's despatch of the 4th November, 1919, I have the honour to transmit herewith translation of a letter from the Wai-chiao Pu informing me of the steps that are being taken to suppress the opium traffic in Szechuan.
It will be clear to your Lordship from earlier reports that these protestations from Chinese officials need not be taken too literally, but it is nevertheless satisfactory to note that some attention is being paid to the matter.
I am forwarding a copy of the Wai-chiao Pu's letter to His Majesty's consul- general at Chengtu, who will doubtless report in due course on the real extent of the Governor's activities.
I have, &c.
(Translation.) Sir,
Enclosure in No. 41.
Wai-chiao Pu to Mr. Lampson,
Peking, March 6, 1920.
I HAVE the honour to refer to Sir John Jordan's note of the 27th August last. regarding the reports received of the cultivation of the poppy in Szechuan and Fukien, which were to the effect that cultivation was openly encouraged by the officials, who made large profits by taxing the opium produced. His Excellency stated that the above showed conclusively that China was not carrying out her obligations under the agreement of 1911, and added that he had therefore to enter a further formal protest with my Government on the subject.
This Ministry thereupon communicated with the Governors of Szechuan and Fukien provinces directing them to instruct the local officials to take stringent measures for investigation and prohibition. The following reply has now been received from the Civil Governor of Szechuan :-
LI
Since the assumption by Governor Hsiung of the joint office of Civil and Military Governor, strict instructions have repeatedly been sent out to the officers in charge of troops, police and train bands, to see that the prohibition of opinn is energetically and strictly enforced in the country districte.
After my assumption of office as Civil Governor I have also made every effort, and have despatched delegates to supervise investigations. Wherever opium is reported, despatches and telegrams are immediately sent out setting a time limit for the eradication of the plants; and in cases where magistrates are inadequate in making progress, they are cashiered and severely punished, or if deserving of lighter punishment, fined and noted for their faults. Despatches and proclama- tions are on record in proof of the above. As regards Eastern Szechuan, in consequence of the receipt of complaints regarding recrudescence of poppy cultivation there, special delegates were sent by the Civil and Military Governors to make secret investigations in those parts, and to take measures zealously from time to time for the complete eradication of the opium poison,"
MILES W. LAMPSON.
Enclosure in No. 42.
Wai-chiao Pu to Mr. Lampson.
Peking, March 13, 1920.
(Translation.) Sir,
I HAVE the honour to refer to Sir John Jordan's memorandum regarding the traffic in native opium in Kuangsi, Szechuan and Hupei, forwarding documentary and photographic evidence of the same, and to the reports from Szechuan and Hupeh transmitted by this Ministry in reply.
A further report has now been received from the Civil Governor of Szechuan to the following effect:—
"Kuo Chang-ming, the commandant of the Han Chun troops on the 2nd Circuit, mentioned in the British Minister's memorandum, has already been instructed by Governor Hsiung to vacate his office and await the results of an enquiry, while Li Chib, magistrate of Hsi-ch ang Hsien, has long since been removed by this office. Strict instructions have now been repeatedly issued to the Taoyin concerned for the carrying out of opium suppression in Southern Chien-chang, and capable officers, Chou Chih-hsun, Wang Cheng-yuan, and Li I-lung, have been despatched to proceed to those parts to make investigations; so that by the time spring turns into summer the neighbourhood will be uniformly clean.”
I have the honour to observe that according to the above report opium suppres- sion in Szechuan is progressing on strict lines, and that the officials who were remiss with regard to poppy cultivation have all been dismissed from their posts. This is in accordance with the policy of opium suppression followed by the Central Government.
I have, &c.
Seal of Wai-chiao Pu.
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