CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 108

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while the license will have to be surrendered for cancella-

tion. Returns of all such proceedings will then be made

But if in spite of

quarterly to the higher authorities.

the liberal period of years allowed under this system there

should be individuals who fail to become total abstainers

within the allotted time, they must be regarded as wilful

victims to self-abuse, and nothing remains but to expose

In the future, them to punishment for not abstaining.

therefore, if any holder of a class B license exceeds the

time limit without giving up the habit and surrendering

his license for cancellation, he shall, if an official, re-

sign his office; if a graduate or licentiate, he shall be

deprived of his rank and diploma; and if he be of the or-

dinary people, his name will be recorded by the local au-

thority as an opium sot. A special list of such names will be

kept, and a return thereof be made to the higher authorities.

Besides this, such names, with the person's age, will be af-

fixed in a public place for general observation, and also

be exhibited in the town or village where such person lives,

that all may know his condition. Such persons will, further

not be allowed to take part in any annual or periodical meetings

which may be convened for any purpose by the local notables,

or in any respectable concern of life, so that it may be clearly

shown that they are outcasts of society.

Article IV. To prohibit opium-houses, in order

to purify the abodes of pollution.

Before the time limit is reached upon which the

prohibition becomes absolute, it would naturally be

hard to suddenly prohibit the existence of shops for

the sale of opium. But there is a class of opium

dens, which offer a continual temptation to youths and

the unemployed to frequent. These places are in ev-

ery respect noxious, and should be prohibited by the

local authorities, one after the other, a term of six

months being fixed for the complete cessation of this

calling and the substitution of another trade. If

the time limit is exceeded they should be compulsorily

closed.

Eating-houses and restaurants must also not be

nor

allowed to furnish opium for the use of guests,

must guests be permitted to bring smoking appliances

with them, under penalty of a heavy fine. Shops for

the sale of pipe-stems or bowls, opium lamps or other

smoking appliances must also be given one year's time

by the local authorities within which to close busi-

1888

shown

b.