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1. Regulations issued by the provincial opium head warehouse ("tung-sheng yen-t'u mai-mai tsung-hang") and the provincial li-kin head office ("ung-sheng li-kin tsung-chu") published on the 19th November last, for "the abolition of the opium duty offices and stations and the prevention of the import and export of the drug," Of these regulations I have the honour to enclose a copy together with a translation by Mr. Toller.
2. Revised regulations for the suppression of opium in all departments, drawn up by the police intendant ("hsun-ching tao") and issued, with the imprimatur of the Governor-General, last December. Of this document I beg to submit an abstract.
The two papers set out with such conciseness (this is more particularly the case with the earlier of them) the procedure to be followed that it is difficult to condense them. The salient points, however, would seem to be as follows:—
(a.) The import of opium into Szechuan is to cease from the 10th April next. ("Opium" ("t'u-yao") here means extra-provincial raw native opium. Neither the native prepared drug ("kao") nor foreign opium has for some years been imported into this province.)
(b) The export of Szechuan opium is to cense from the 7th July next.
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(e.) The system of licensed retailers ("p'i-fa tien"), described in previous reports as "wholesale opium stores," is to be continued. These establishments are licensed to sell prepared opium, but to smokers with police permits only, and not for consumption on the premises. Their supplies of the drug are derived, as before, from an official (or Government) head opium store ("kuan-kao tsung-tien"), one of which is established in each city or town. The latter offices have hitherto depended for their raw material ("yen-t'u" or "tu-yao") on the head Government "hong (warehouse) for the pureliase and sale of crude opium ("yen-t'u mai-mai tsung-hang") at Chengtu or its branches. From the 7th July these "hongs" will cease to exist. The opium stores will have before that date to lay in a sufficient stock of the raw stuff to last out the time of grace for smokers (now, at the most, seven years) allowed by the edicts of 1906. This stock they will obtain either from the "hongs" before the latter are dissolved, or from private holders, who, in their turn, are compelled to get rid of their whole supply before the 7th July, either by selling it to the opium stores or by exporting it from Szechuan, To enable the stores to make the necessary calculations
(d) The registration of smokers is to be strictly enforced. It is recognised that a considerable number of smokers have failed to comply with the law, which laid down that application for permits must be made before the 24th October, 1908, after which date none would be issued. Smokers must now have registered-in towns, at the police stations; and in the country, before the tithing-ward-by the 11th January last. The totals registered will be reported to the police intendant, who will then authorise a supplementary, but positively final, issue of
(e.) Permits to smoke.--The earlier perioits will continue to be renewable every three months; but the supplementary permits must be renewed every two months. The fee for issue and for such renewal is 100 cash Permits will, as before, be of two classes, "A" and "B"; but while holders of the earlier "A" permits were allowed three years in which to break off the habit, holders of the new (supplementary) "A" permits will be allowed only one year. Holders of "B" permits are allowed three months. The object of the new regulations is stated as an endeavour to eradicate opium smoking in Szechuan before the time set by the edicts (Art. 3; see Blue Book, "China No. 1 (1908)," p. 5.)
Consequent on the proclamation forbidding the planting of the poppy, all regulations of the provincial opium head warehouse relating to the diminution of areas of cultivation were cancelled last September. Permits that had been issued were called in by the branch warehouses ("yen-t'u fen-hang"), and all blank forms were returned to the head office at Chengtu. As we have seen, the head warehouse and its branches are to be abolished by the 7th July. The same date sees the dissolution of the opium li-kin establishment-with a month's for the settlement of accounts-and the dismissal
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of brokers (agents) at the godowns and receiving rooms, where raw opium was purchased on behalf of the warehouse from the peasant growers, by the bowlfuÏ. Other formal steps taken during the past six months are:-
1. The binding over of all official employés to continue to abstain from smoking, or to abandon the habit within two months. All officials below the rank of prefect, and all educational officers, have to submit to scrutiny twice a year for the opium habit. Two
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such tests have already been held, and certificates granted, and the third examination is now approaching. (For officials in the capital it takes place at the "chieh-yen ch'a-yen so," or anti-opium inspection department, persons reporting themselves for examination between the 22nd and 27th February.) There are still, however, some 500 officials in the province who have not yet received their certificates for the first examination. The registers at the office of the financial commissioner show that over 200 of these can be accounted for as dismissed, or dead, or in mourning. The remainder are exhorted to undergo examination and obtain their certificates as quickly as possible.
In pursuance of this procedure (which is in harmony with art. 9 of the Imperial Regulations of 1906), on the 20th August, the " yen-ch'a tao" (intendant for gabelle and tea duties) enforced the measure for his staff, for the salt transport office, and for the establishments under his control throughout the province. The Commissioner for Education ("ti-hsuo ssu") did the same, on the 10th November, and the Financial Commissioner on the 2nd December. As a deterrent, four petty officials were denounced by Chao chiht'ai to the throne and were dismissed the service in perpetuity, for " lack of strength to break off opium" ("chich yen pu li.").
2. Hospital accommodation has been extended. The opium refuge opened by the Chamber of Commerce was originally intended only for traders and the mercantile class generally. It has, says the semi-official “Chengtu Daily News" ("Ch'engtu Jih-pao") of the 7th October, proved so successful that its operations are to be extended. Anyone who gets a guarantee from a shop may attend and receive medicines, gratis.
About the same time the police intendant opened a training college where doctors, or would-be doctors, can learn the best methods of assisting smokers to break off the habit. Doctors study for a month, paying a fee of 4 dollars (68. 8d.); they then receive a diploma which permits them, according to the class obtained in the examinations, to take charge of hospitals in the various towus of the province, or to serve as assistants in such hospitals.
On the 20th December the police intendant reported that several thousand doctors trained at Chengu will now be sent to take charge of opium refuges throughout the province. The expenses of these refuges will be met as follows:---
(a) From public charitable funds, which will be devoted to cost of medicines, salaries of attendants, and maintenance of poor people breaking off the habit. Patients who can afford it will pay for their own meals while in hospital.
(6.) Where there are no such public funds, by subscriptions collected from the gentry and merchants.
(c) If both these plans fail, the local official may authorise the doctor to sell his medicines, the cost to the indigent being met out of the profits of such sales.
The "Chengtu Daily News" of the 28th December contains regulations, drawn up by the intendant of police, for the establishment of an opium refuge for gentry and merchants. The regulations as issued consist of fourteen clauses, but at the end are the two characters "wei wan ("to be concluded "). No further instalment, however, has appeared up to the present.
The regulations provide generally for good behaviour and order among the patients. takes five Patients are received in batches of from twenty to thirty, and the "core days. Patients must not bring their own servants with them, and on admission they must submit their luggage and belongings to inspection lest there should be any of the drug concealed therein. Nothing is said about the cost of treatment, except that if patients develop any extraneous complaint, necessitating the use of expensive medicines costing 50 cash (1 penny) or more, the patients themselves must pay for them.
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3. The official price of prepared opium was raised on the 11th December from 540 cash (say 10d.) per liang (133 ounce avoirdupois) to 950 cash for the lowest quality ("pa t'u"). Prices for the other qualities are :---
(1.) Yünnan from 900 cash to 1,240 cash.
(2.) Ch'en and piao from 600 cash to 1,060 cash.
4. The loss of revenue is partly made good by the increased charge on salt, previously reported. Other taxes to the same end are-
(a.) 200 cash on each pig killed, large or small.
(b.) 2 cash per catty on pork.
Writing on the 25th October last, Mr. Ricker, who had just returned from a visit to Tzu Chou (about halfway on the main road from Chungking to Chengtu), says :---
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