Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1909. THE INTERNATIONAL OPIUM COMMISSION. WHAT CHINA IS DOING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 4 March 1909, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1909. THE INTERNATIONAL OPIUM COMMISSION. WHAT CHINA IS DOING.

THE commencement of the inquiry at Shanghai by - .tho International Opium Commission marks an epoch and turning point in tho modern history of the opium traffic In connection therewith it may be of interest to givo a brief narrative of what is being done in China to niinimise. and if possible, to eradicate, a national evi] which has largely been thrust upon the peqple. »•• ' • •

Tho efforts towards suppression are being made in two 4'roctionß— the abolition of the cultivation of tho poppy within China, and the prohibition of opium smoking. With regard to the former, tfie report 'of the Chinese Ministry of Finance, dated last Oetober. and published in the London "Times" of November 14, says that in the north and west that course is the more nrgent whilo in the south and east tho latter is the more necessary. It is in the maritime province? of Kwangtung, FuhKien, Kiang-su. and Che-Kiang that foreign opium finds tho readiest sale, so that the prohibition of poppy cultivation in China would enable the foreigners to find a greater market for the sale of imported opium, 60 loug as the yearly reduction was no greater than at present. Heneo in thoso districts prohibition of smoking is more proving than stopping cultivation. In Yunnan Kweichow, Szchuan, Shensi, Shansi, and, Honan_ the inhabitauts smoke only native opium, so that the reduction of cultivation" implies a similar reduction of opium smokers. The proposals for tho suppression of poppy cultivation over a period of years was made by the Viceroys of Nanking. Anhui, Shantung, and llonau. "With the exception of the Governor of Shantung, who feared that a total suppression would result in illicit trafficking in opium, all three high officials approved of this measure being adopted, and the provinces of Yunnan, Fuh-TCien. and HeilnnKinLf hnve .ilrf":dy reported tho total suppression of the cultivation of thn nnnpv. w thsit in six provinces' of China its cultivation will have ceased by the second half of this year, an<l tho entire production in the Empire reduced by 30 per cent. The production in Mukden Erin, Chih-li,

Shantung, Kiang-si, Cho r Kiang, Hupefc Hunan, New territory, Canton, and Kuang-si ia very Muall, and can be suppressed entirely alter the second half of nest year, which will imply a further reduction of 100 per. com. in the entire production of the Kmpire. In Shansi a large quantity is produced, but its sale is confined to the province, so that it will be the Governor's duty to take steps for its entire suppression in due course.

Most of the native opium consumed in China comes from the four provinces of Zschuan, Kweichow, Hansub, and Shensi. and it is proposed to secure an annual reduction of 20 per cent, in the area under cultivation until entire suppression has been achieved. A similar reduction of 20 per cent, annually in the quantities eold from these four provinces in other provinces is to be made. Simultaneously, with the prohibition of smoking it is expected that the profit from the imported drug will cease, and that thus the traffic will cease automatically is ten years. • • • • •

In tho direction of the suppression of opium-smoking, the compulsory closing of all opium "dens" or "joints" is proceeding rapidly, whilo smokers require to bo licensed, and to carry a badge similar to that worn by convicted criminals. The smoker is apparently spared the indignity of wearing the badge about his neck, as the convicted criminals do. He may carry it iu his pocket or up his i'leeve so long as ho is ready to produce it immediately it is demanded for inspection by a policeman or a licensed retailor of opiun:_ who is requited to register on it, on pain of forfeiture of his license to retail, the quantity purchased by the person under police surveillance. Another device for the discouragement of tho vice is a "black list," which is a notification from the District Magis trate_ affixed to the doors of hou"cs, intimating that those who had been warned, or punished bad failed t» cease using the drug. A penalty is attached to any attempt to remove the notice, and tho idea is to degrade tho inmates of the branded houses in the sight of their fellow-citizens. It has also been decided that no opiumuser is to enter Government employ, and that all eivil servant9 given to the habit are to abandon it within a given time, or to lose their positions. In the case of an applicant for employment who is suspected of indulging it is necessary that four "wellkenned" residents shall certify to his freedom from the vice, and they become his "godfathers," inasmuch as they share his responsibility to punishment on conviction.

Meantime, financial considerations, which once precipitated a war with China to force the drug into circulation, still weigh. There is an immense quantity of unconsumed re-

serve in India. "The Pioneer" recently said: — "As regards the supply for the China market, there must be an enormous quantity in reserve, "or a year ago 3G,000 maunds of unmanufactured opium were in the vats of the Patna and Ghazipur factories beside 111,000 chests lying ready fur export. ' ' Thes'e 36,000 maunds of Bengal opium, and 111000 chests, added together, represent a total weight of 18,502 286 lbs., or 8259 tons 18 cwt. llOlb's., equal to 132,159 chests. The value hero represented i» about £10.000,000. Under these conditions, it is more than possible that the final recommendations of the International Opium Commission will be in consonance with the Chinese plan of gradual suppression covering a. period of years, rather than a drastic courso of immediate abolition of importation and production.