CO129-369 - Acting Governor May Governor Sir Lugard - 1910 [10-11] — Page 479

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stated that the Regulations in question are contrary to

Treaty Foreign Office Letter of 16th. August, 1910), His

Majesty's Minister at Peking has so informed the Chinese

Government. He has further under Foreign Office instruct-

-ions protested against their continued enforcement (with

consequential seizures, Sc.) while the whole Opium question

is under discussion. The Chinese Government at Peking kes

on its part tardily admitted that they are contrary to

Treaty and has instructed the Viceroy to cancel them. The

orders of the Wai-wu-pu to the Viceroy are:- "The so-

-called Prepared Opium Tax is in reality another tax on Raw

Opium therefore all Opium seized must be released, no fines

must be imposed" (see enclosure to Despatch of 13th. Sep-

-tember, 1910. The authenticity of the telegram was admit-

-ted by ai-wu-pu: Maxfuller, 15th. October, 1910.) The

obeyed there

Viceroy has not issued such orders, and Mr. MaxHuller in

A

his Despatch of October 13th. to Sir Edward Grey states

that Grand Councillor Na Tung "made the usual excuse that

the Board could not instruct but only advise a Viceroy".

This in effect means that the representative of the

Chinese Government accredited to deal with the British

Government admits that China is unable to enforce in the

Provinces of the Bapire her Treaty obligations, an admis-

-sion