CO129-471 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 552

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122

now in Hsienya county, named Ong, estimated they should receive 1,000,000 dollars in taxes on the poppy-fielda. The rate is 15 dollars a mow. At this rate his estimate was over 66,000 mow of land planted in poppy. This amount would be at least 10,000 foreign appas

As we went over the districts we looked carefully to see how accurate we thought the Northern officer's estimate was. In our opinion the estimate was not any exaggeration As carefully as we could estimate it, we think there is at least the full 10,000 foreign acres, or over 66,000 Chinese mow, of land planted in poppy.

"We believe the only error the Northern officer made in his estimate was as to the amount of taxes he could collect. There is so much bargaining between the official- and the farmers that I doubt if the Northern officials will receive more than 500,000 dollars in taxes at present. In other words, although I believe the Northern officer's stimate of the amount of poppy is correct, I doubt if he will receive taxes on more than half of the fields at present

"

My own guess before the Northerners came was that they would wait until the best time to collect taxes on the poppy-fields and then would punish the people for planting the fields. Even now there is talk that this is to be done.

It is very

Probable that heavy fines will be levied on the people for planting: double revenue from the fields, once as taxes and once as fines, will thus be received.

"The last pictures I sent you, showing the poppy-fields, were not very good ones, I just received prints of later pictures that are much better, and am enclosing three for you. The pictures were taken about three weeks ago.

"The Northerners are meeting opposition in their occupation of the county, Bandits have attacked them in two places, and at one of the places fighting was quite severe. As the Northerners seem to be interested only in making money out of the people at present, just as the bandits did, they are bound to meet opposition. All they have done since coming has been to collect the taxes on the poppy-fields.

Because the Northerners have come in this spirit, there is bound to be fighting between them and the bandits at times."

Th's letter confirms the report I have already made to you!

omens 17/10/d!

Bechett

*Not printed.

I have, &c.

H. PHILLIPS.

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18 Oct 21

I am re to ack, the receipt of

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Marquess Curzon of Redbeaton

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documents

(Signed) G. GRINDLE