FEELING IN CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 264, 5 November 1914, Page 6

FEELING IN CHINA.

VIEWS OF A VISITING MISSIONED EXTENT OF GERMAN INFLUENCE. Recent cable messages indicate that Germany is making strenuous efforts to favourably influence public opinion in China for reasons associated with, the European wtir. A visitor who is well qualified to form an opinion as to how far that influence is likely to ox tend arriv-cd in Auckland by the Makura yesterday. This is Dr. W. E. Jlacklin, a mediea.l missionary, who has been ■working in China for over twenty years, and who is returning to Nanking after a visit to Australia. "I don't think they can do much in Uiat direction," said the visitor when asked by a '-.Star" interviewer whether he thought it likely that Germany would succeed with her propaganda in China. He added that the Germans had not by any means a preponderance of influence over that of the other nations whose peoples have settled in China. For instance, the Russians in the North., and the French in the South, held considerable sway. "And what of the British ?" the interviewer asked. "Well," said Dr. Macklin, "I am a Britisher of Canadian birth, but 1 am bound to say that our nation, has not a great deal to be proud of in regard to the sum total of our dealings with China. Seeing that the Chinese are so resentful against the British for having forced the opium trade upon them, it is, perhaps, not unnatural that at a time like this there should be a feeling against us. Sometimes when I have been talking on matters of Christianity in China the people have said to mc: "You Britishers preach righteousness to us, bat what about the sinfulness of the opium trade?' That is one of the biggest obstacles which we have to overcome" When aiked if the people of China did not appreciate the efforts which the British are making to wipe out the opium traffic, Dr. Macklin replied in the negative. The British, he said, were only prepared to prohibit the importation of opium into a district when the authorities could show that ihc sale of native opium had been stopped. It was felt that the British should be prepared to set an example by closing down first. The authorities were doing their best to clean up the country, but the method of procedure was only serving to increase the monopoly held by British merchants. A number of districts had , been declared free from the sale of opium, and it was hoped that the prohibited area would rapidly increase. Reverting to the capital which is being made by the Germans during the present crisis, the visitor said that they would doubtless do their best to stir up feeling against the British, but it must be remembered that they 'had also to reckon with the influence of the French and Russians in China. Another important consideration was that since thp war with Japan there had been no Chinese navy, and also that there was only a standing army of two or three hundred thousand m«ai, from •which it would serai thai the nation was not in a position to play an important part hi war, even supposing the Germans succeeded in working , the authorities up to the jK>int of desiring to do so. With regard to the fate of Kiao Chau, Dr. Macklin said that if the Japanese were to get a footing in thaF territory tticy would probably rxort their influence in favour of the re.volntiona.ry party in China, -which was displaced from power about two years ago. At present a system of military autocracy prevailed, and, unles3 some such outside influence was bronght to hear, it seonwd likely to continue. 7n any ease. Dr. ■ilacfclin does not think that China, need ■be regarded as an important factor in ihe present war. The Auckland Prohibition and Temperance Leagii c supplies the following: — "The Teeord for October «f offences and defaults arising from drink a≤ dealt with in the local Police Court and reported in the daily iPreas, is »s follow:—Orunkennees: Jfirst offenders, 79: others, S6; disorderly -while drunk, 7; drunk while in charge of horses and carts, 3; wMlg in charge of motor cars, 2; breaches of proIribition, 23; attempted suicide, 1; slygpog celling. 1: indecency, 9: obscene language, 7: soliciting. 1; aesamlt, 2; threat. j earing behaviour, 2: assaulting and re|Sfctin£ the police, 1: theft. 10; obtaining I money by means of false pretence?, 1; ' begging alms, 2; -damage to property, 1: , vagrancy, 9; unlawfully wearing a raflij taiy uniform, 1; seamen absent without ]tni\v, 3; soldier absent ■without lea.Te from troopship, 1; selling liquor to intoxicated persons, 2: separation order against; husband, 1. Total offences, 260; total offenders, 200, of whom 23 were women. TVenty-Wo new. prohibition orders were issued, only one of them being against a woman. Two men wsre committed to Rotoroa and two women to Pakatoa for the customary term of 12 months mi each instance. JSnes imj posed, amp-anted to £ 143 12/« f "