THE OPIUM TRADE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1279, 1 August 1914, Page 4

THE OPIUM TRADE.

“British merchants fattening themselves at the expense of the happiness of our longoppressed nation.” is tho text of an appeal to the British nation by General L. Chang, president of the Chines© National Opium Prohibition Union. Tho opium trade is to be declared extinct at the end of this rear, hut,on 20th March there were 7743 a cheat* of opium ©till in. the hands of merchants at. Shanghai—about half as much as in August last year—ami the merchants, .says the writer, ar© looking forward to next year as “(he most glorious year yet, for the opium trade.” With a big stock still in hand. no further importation, possible, tho native supply practically abolished, and a host of weak victims unable to resist tlie temptation of the drug, they anticipate an enormous increase in the. price, of opium. Last August the price was £340 per chest; last March it had jumped to £900; and it is quit© possible that the expectation ol £2OOO a cheat may bo realised next year. “It is Under the British flag,” writes General Chang, “that such a groat crime, unparallod in.the history of a civilised nation, is being inflicted upon us. Th© most deplorable part of the whole matter is that this great and monstrous crime is allowed by your Government, although it, is fully aware of all tho facts. Negotiations are now going on between our own Government'and the British Minister in Pekin regarding the disposal of the remainder of the -flock of opium in Shanghai at the end of this year, and 1 beg to appeal to the best elements of (he civilised British nation not to allow 1 hoir own tolerant and libertyloving Government, to inflict upon ns such a terrible crime as to allow tho traffic in opium to continue any longer.”