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being one of the largest opium producing provinces in China. All civil There has not and military finances are raised from opium taxes. been any compulsory cultivation, though the imposition of the so-called "lazy tax" of the neighbouring province of Szechuan has been mooted. Opium has always been extensively cultivated because of its market value. The two main reasons for lessened cultivation are lack of food cereals, and facilities for exportation.
A correspondent writes from Central Kweichow: "There is a falling off in this district of 7% opium cultivation due not to moral incentives but the high price of rice and wheat. Last year everyone planted opium. and left it to the other fellow to grow cereals and starvation was the result."
Kireigong. As plentiful as last year.
Tuu Jen. Owing to the drought of last summer farmers have been obliged to plant wheat this year. Probably only one-fourth as much opium planted. There is however enough of last year's opium left on hand to supply this year's demand. There is no compulsory cultivation, farmers have always planted because of the big profits. We have been over run during the year with armies, this place has changed hands many times, hence great difficulty in exporting opium.
Tsung. A falling off in production this year in this district due to the high price of food. Opium planted in 9th and 10th month, reaped in 3rd month.
Tues: 1 ounce of opium out of every 10 ounces produced.
Land tax varies with the military demands.
Lamp tax $1.20 a lamp each month.
Opium sold at 50 cents an ounce.
Number of smoking dens in this district 2,000.
Opium smokers equa! 90% of adult population. Cultivation is voluntary.
Auping. About three-eights less poppy planted this season than formerly. The reason being famine last year.
Governor Pen has imposed a lamp tax of $3 a month on opium dens, and $1 a month on private lamps.
Kiensi, Tatung, Pichteh, Chishui and all the region under the control of General Chiu Hsi-chen, the lamp tax is not imposed but the poppy land is taxed instead.
Chenguan, Panghai and Szenam. Poppy not planted so extensively. Farmers cannot afford to waste their land, they must have food. Rice crop totally ruined last year.
Military and officials are doing their best to force the cultivation of opium by imposing a heavy opium tax on all land, consequently it is feared that cultivation will be as great as formerly, when the famine scourge is passed. Two days ago an official called on me and in conversation 1 mentioned about China prohibiting opium, the official replied: "Oh, that is a mere paper proclamation for the Kweichow Governor has issued strict orders throughout the province to impose the opium tax on all farmers whether they plant or not".
MANCHURIA
In the three administrative areas or provinces of Manchuria there is an extensive traffic in opium and narcotics, whilst opium is grown only
in Kirin and Heilungchiang with long frontiers adjourning Russia and Korea, narcotic drugs find easy access.
Fengtien. There is no poppy according to reports from the following districts:
Chin Asien, Hsing Cheny, Swichung, Chin Hai, Hungle and I Haien. Opium is however consumed in large quantities. Most of this opium comes from the adjacent districts of Jehol.
Fakumen District. No opium grown; very few opium dens, mostly belunging to Japanese. Smoking is very secret, and confined to gentry and officials of whom about 20% are addicted.
A certain degree of contral is exerted in Southern Manchuria by the Mukden Government, nevertheless the city of Mukden is still a great centre for narcotic drugs contraband.
In the Japanese leased territory of Kuantung a Government opium monopoly exists with registration of smokers and similar laws and penalties as those in Formosa. No poppy is cultivated and the opium used is imported from Persia. The average yearly importation into Dairen for the last ten years was 32,000 lbs.
Kirin, The northern part of this province has been for years cultivating opitura under the former Defence Commissioner, who collects opium land and smoking den taxes. Since the latter removed to Shan- tung, conditions have improved though by no means eliminated, because such numbers had developed the opium habit. The decrease in poppy cultivation may be judged from the following reliable reports:
1922
1923
1924
1925
approximately 75.500 mou of landi
11
84.550 43,550 28,400
31
21
"
21
*
,
H
This moderate estimate for 1925 would yield an average harvest of 50 tons of opium, most of which finds its way to the large cities.
This province almost touches Vladivostok on the East and the enormous traffic in Persian and Turkish opium in that port has been referred to elsewhere. Harbin is the centre for narcotic drugs from Europe, and as a cosmopolitan city its indulgence beggars description. Morphia, heroin and cocaine are used even by children,
Heilwngehlang. This is the northern province of Manchuria. Poppy is extensively cultivated particularly on the Russian side of the frontier. Opium is openly sold, and the smoking habit wide spread.
SHANSI
Total prohibition of opium and narcotics is still maintained throughout the province. The Governor General, Yen Hsi-shan, has sent us detailed reports from over 60 haien Branches of our Association in the province, of which a few are given below as a sample.
The smuggling of both opium and morphia pills is their greatest trouble and in the event of war conditions as in 1925, smugglers become inore daring. Shensi supplies most of the opium and Honan both opium and morphia.
Anti-opium education is the main corrective force in the province, together with curing houses, magisterial supervision, and police suppres- sion of smugglers. The rural method of supervision is by subdivision
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