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2. Proclamation issued, in name of Governor-General Ting, about the 1st June, providing for total abolition of opium growing in ten years by gradual diminution of crops, and for a tax on land sown with opium.
Official Action,--None.
(c.) Yünnan-fu, June 10, 1907.
1. Proclamation by Governor-General giving the ten Articles of the Edict.
2. Proclamation by District Magistrate and Inspector of Police on the 2nd May: All opium shops to be closed, and manufacture of utensils to be forbidden, after the 8th moon.
Official Action.-Nothing has been done up to the present time.
II.-Attitude of Local Officials and Gentry.
(a.) Ch'u-ching,
May 29.--Officials indifferent; gentry generally favourable to the Proclamation, Only two of the gentry known to have given up the habit. Feeling of the people is that, while the opium habit could be eradicated, it is doubtful if the Government means business. They say it is nothing more than putting out a Notification, and that even now the matter has dropped,
August 1-Scarcely any giving up the habit; some talking about it.
(b.) P'ing-yi.
May 31.--Local officials and gentry favourable to the prohibition of opium. One literary official gave up the habit, and the leading men among the gentry; others talk of doing so,
August 1.-Nothing further.
(c.) Yünnan-fu.
The new Governor-General has dismissed all opium smokers from his official
residence.
III-Restrictions on Area planted.
(a.) Returns by Magistrates.
Ch'ü-ching (May and August).--None.
Ping-yi (May and August).---None, so far as known, Yunnan-fu.NiL
(b) Steps to Restrict.
Ch'u-ching (May and August).--None whatever.
Ping-yi (May and August).--None.
Yunnan-fu.-Proclamation ordering gradual diminution.
(c) Extent of Ground.
Chü-ching." Probably quite half the ground planted last year with poppy is this year planted with wheat and beans, chiefly the former. No new ground has been planted with opium. The reason for the increased planting of cereals is that these last have gone up in price, whereas opium has come down. Formerly opium brought more profit than cereals; last year cereals were far more remunerative than opium."
P'ing-yi.—"Quite one-third of the old poppy ground was planted with other crops. The reduction was voluntary on the part of the people, chiefly because of rumours as
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to the prohibition of the poppy. Poppy cultivation could be exterminated at once on any show of authority by the officials."
Yünnan-fu.—“This year is an exceptional year. Owing to the floods of 1905 and
◆ the drought of 1906 very little opium has been grown."
IV.-Restrictions on Smokers.
Ch'ü-ching (May and August).-Nothing done whatever. Ping-yi (May and August).- Nothing.
Yunnan-fu.-Proclamation only issued.
V.-Closing of Opium Dens and Shops.
Ch'ü-ching (May and August).-Nothing done. Last year soon after the Proclamation they were closed for four days and then reopened.
Ping-yi (May and August).-Nothing.
Yunnan-fu.--Proclamation issued stating that from the 1st of the 8th moon all opium dens are to be closed.
VI, ---Inspection of Opium Shops.
Ch'ü-ching (May and August), ---No notice taken. Ping-yi (May and August).No.
Yunnan-fu.-Inspection has been made of the number of shops.
VII-Curative Medicines,
One or two private
Ch'i-ching (May).-Nothing whatever, public or official. individuals have bought Japanese medicine, but only as a money-making affair. All contained opium (or morphia), and few persons broke off successfully.
(August).-Less talk and less sale of remedies than three months ago. Ping-yi (May)." Pills containing opium are sold on the street, but are not popular locally. The medicine I" (Rev. W. J. Hanna) "use is in every way successful, and rids them of the habit in froni ten to fifteen days. I have offered my services to the Magistrate, but nothing has been done.”
Yunnan-fu."I have heard that Governor-General Hsi before leaving Szechuan ordered 200 taels of anti-opium medicines from the firm Kong-sang, Seremban. Recently two places have been opened by the local officials and gentry for the dispensing of anti-opium medicine. The number of vendors has increased considerably, and a large number of opium smokers are giving up the habit."
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