Smugglers in His Employ with Large Quantities of the Drug on Them Peking, July 15.
The International _Anti-Opium Association says that within the last ten days the Chinese press has given publicity to reports of the smuggling of opium from Suiyuan to Peki One smuggler named Li Hsuat yang was arrested at the Hsichihmen with 320 oz. of opium in his possession. He declared that he was one of a gang of 30 men employed by a Peking official to bring 30,000 oz. of opium from Suiyuan. "All expenses and a good salary were paid to each ma Second culprit named Chay En-ta
(oz, of opium in his possession, seas captured a week later with 208 [declared that he was in the of the same official, and th latter had 17,000 "oz, of opium ored at Sxupingtal in the Western The Association says it is greatly to be deplored that the press names the smugglers, but does not name the official who is responsible for the traffic. It might turn out to be the same official who did an extensive, traffic in Jehol last year. The International Anti-Opium Association has declarations from Gen. Wang Waichiaopt he is doing his Huaiching, received through the
utmost to prevent cultivation and trafic in Jehol and Suiyuan, and Gen, Wang has here an excellent opportunity to make an example of the official concerned. Probably, however, the smuggling coolies will be heavily punished" whilst the Fingleader will go free-—Reuter's Pacific Service.
Canton, July 12, The Canton Government's latest war tax items are an income tax fon the earnings of the officials and a surtax on opium smoking dens. It is believed that there will be no strikes following the enforcement of these two items. Some Canton newspapers comment that the offcial income now-r-days does not confine itself to salary, from which the government may easily. ded the tax, but also includes offic gifts and blackmail and "enginocring fees" for preventing a private piece of property from being declared government lands, and that these should be reported and taxed ax well, The pending surtax on opium dens will be effective notwithstanding the complaint, of the den-keepers, who met at Tin Tin Tea-House last Sunday, that they are bearing enough war burdens. Dr. Sun's opium sale office now controls 800 smoking dens in Canton City alone. One Ho Tai-Kung has offered to guarantee to Dr. Sun $24,000 annually, provided that he be appointed director ie, Charge of the collection of this surtax.
Under the auspices of the Kuomintang Political Party, more that 600 riesha and cart coolies in Canton met on the evening of July 6 at the headquarters of the party, in or= dee to take preliminary steps to kanze u strong coolies union, There re nearly 10,000 cart and riesha coolies in this city, as the rieshas alone number 3,500 and each supports two coolies, one for day and another for night servic, At the meeting, Mr. Tom Ping-shan, a Chinese' Bolshevist and a member of the executive committee of the Kuomintang, addressed the coolies.
War time in Canton is affecting the theatvieal people to no little extent, and the past year, which ended June 30, for the theatrical people begin their contracts yearly in the middle of the year, saw only 12 companies on the road, instend of 36 or more as seen in previous years. Last year the companies could not go into the inland districts for their tour, and the performances had 9 be confined to only Hongkong and Canton. Even in Canton not all the theatres were open all the time. The new annual formation of companies will begin during the next few days and the shifting and plac~ ing of actors into their permanent. positions should be complied by July 19 or 20.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.