THIRD EDITION

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 25, 29 January 1918, Page 8

THIRD EDITION

CHINA'S PROGRESS

HIGHLY SATISFACTORY ADVANCE

WORK OF FOREIGN, REPRESEN-

TATIVES.

A highly illuminating survey of the present state of, China was given by Di\ G. E. Morrison, Political Adviser to the Chinese Government,; in his address to the New Zealand Club this afternoon.

Dr. Morrison commenced with a reference to the great extent and enormous population of ■ China. ... They had a constant increase of population co-exis-tent with a continued diminution of area. On 10th October, 1911, the oldest of Empires became the youngest of Republics. Probably never had a revolution taken place with less bloodshed. The Manchu dynasty, realising the inevitable course .of affairs, voluntarily abdicated, and a republican forra of Government was set up with a President, elected by a bicameral: Legislature for five years, a^ Vice-President, holding office for life, two Legislative Chambers, and a Prime Minister, and nine members of Cabinet, subject to' a majority vote of the Legislature. An eminent American professor had said that the intellectual equipment of the men selected to draw up the permanent constitution of the Chinese Republic was not inferior to the intellectual equipment of the men who drafted the American Constitution. There had since been evidence of constitutional, conflict in China; but China had existed with the republican form 1 of government for six; years, and it was still the. only form of government in the country. There were bound to be sporadio disturbances in that great Empire, and conflicts, until the functions of the central Government and the provinces were defined. When the Republic was formed, an Englishman who was believed to have wide knowledge of the internal affairs of China and of her external relations was appointed an adviser, and with his help, and partly by his guidance, foreigners, selected for their special ability, had^een appointed to advise and administer departments in Pekin. The men selected were of a class likely to assist China, and as Japan and Siam in their, early years had derived great' assistance from foreigners, so China expected to' do likewise. China, by her entry into the'war,, had immensely improved her standing in the world. The outlook was now good; the financial' position was a satisfactory one. The Republic's external indebtedness was only 160 millions sterling, of which 67-i millions was 1 the Boxer indemnity; one-fifth of which (the German portion) had been confiscated. On the remaining four-fifths the other Powers, in consideration of China's entry into the war, had i agreed to postpone all payments for five years. Of the remaining debt, all except 32 millions had been applied to the construction of railways and other profitable enterprises. China had to find only seven* millions annually for her .loan payments, and the Customs, service (organised: by Sir Robert Hart and administered by an Englishman) produced six millions, while the salt revenue, which was also pledged to the' foreign Governments and paid _ into foreign - banks, produced ten millions. One other great source of revenue was from the land, which was expected to produce twenty-one millions.,; It waa hoped that the administration of that department would have been entrusted to, an Englishman who had been LieutenantGovernpr'of the Punjaiib, and was familiar with similar land divisions, but three ( other Powers protested against another i 'Englishman being: appointed to a high post. China also was better able to meet her debt now with the appreciation of silver currency, since the debts were in .gold. , ■ \ . .' |

Another factor affeciing affairs in China was the change in. Russia. China had feared Rußsia, but while conditions continued as at prejent there was no longer any need to fear aggression. American relations with China were highly satisfactory, and if ever one country's dealings with another had been altruistic it had i been so in this instance. America, had worked to uplift China, and bad given special attention to education. Englishmen stood high in the estimate of China, and the relations of the two Governments also were highly satisfactory, ' Dr. Morrison referred to the services xenderiiS by eminent British citizens, particularly the organisation of the Customs and Poet Office by Sir Robert Hart. The growth of the latter department was in itself an, index to the propress of the Republic. Japan was working with China, particularly in] education, and very many Chinese were learning in schools in Tokio. One great dieability suffered by China lay in extra territorial rights, whereby foreign residents were under the jurisdiction not of the Chinese, but of their own Grovernmente. The promise had been made to China, however, that when tie administration of justice,was .equal to that obtabling in a European country the extraterritorial ' " rights would / be abandoned. ■ China was now working to obtain that standard. In conclusion, Dr. Morrison said that the brief cable messages received here regarding China were misleading, as they referred mainly to small disturbances in seaport towns, and did not indicate the progress in internal affairs, external relations, and communications. A counT try of such great mineral wealth, with a vast population ■■ of intelligent, easilygoverned people, should, in his mind, be of great interest to a Dominion such as New Zealand.

The address was listened to'with great attention by an audience much beyond the capacity of the building. Mr. C. E. Wheeler presided, and was supported by the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey), Sir James Allen, and the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G.). . ■ ■ . '. ■ In moving a /vote of thanks to Dr. Morrison; Mr. Massey eulogised the guest's great work for China and for Britain. It was largely due to him that the foreign relations at the present time were so satisfactory.

The vote of thanks was carried with enthusiasm.