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 the work of the Ministries and, through the powerful Board of General Affairs, has direct charge of their confidential matters, personnel, accounting and supplies. Subordinate to the State Council are various bureaux, especially the important Advisory Bureau and the Legislative Bureau. Executive power is thus largely concentrated in the hands of the Premier and the Regent.

The legislative power is vested in the Legislative Council. Its approval will be necessary for all laws and revenue Acts. But should it reject any Bill, the Regent may ask the Council to re-consider its decision and, if it should again reject it, the Regent, after consulting the Privy Council, shall decide the matter. At present, however, no law has yet been passed for the organisation of the Council, with the result that laws are drafted by the State Council and become effective after the Privy Council has been consulted and the approval of the Regent has been obtained. So long as the Legislative Council is not organised, the Premier's position is predominant.

The judiciary comprises a number of law courts, divided into three grades, the Supreme Court, Higher Courts, and District Courts.

The Supervisory Council supervises the conduct of officials and audits their accounts. The members of the Council may not be dismissed except for a criminal offence or disciplinary punishment, and may not be subjected to suspension or transfer of office or reduction of salary against their wishes.

For purposes of local government, "Manchukuo" is divided into five provinces and two special districts. The provinces are Fengtien, Kirin, Heilungkiang, Jehol, and Hsin-An or Hsingan. The last-named, which contains the Mongol districts, is subdivided into three areas or subprovinces, so as to conform to the traditional Banner system and the union of Banners into Leagues. The special districts are the old Chinese Eastern Railway, or Harbin district, and the newly established Chientao, or Korean district. By means of this administrative division, the important minorities, Mongols, Koreans and Russians, are to be guaranteed, as far as possible, special administration in conformity with their needs. Although the Commission made several requests to be shown a map of the area claimed to be included in the "State of Manchukuo", this was not provided, but a letter was received giving the boundaries of the "State" as follows:

""The new State is bounded on the south by the Great Wall, and the Mongol Leagues and Banners in the same comprise Hulinbuir and the Leagues of Cherim, Chaota and Chosatu and their Banners.""

At the head of the provinces are Civil Governors. But since it is desired to concentrate executive power in the Central Government, they are to be given no authority over either troops or finance. In the provinces, as well as in the central government, the General Affairs Department holds a controlling position. It is in charge of confidential matters, of personnel, accounting, correspondence, and matters which do not come under other departments.

Provinces are divided into districts. These are administered largely by district self-government offices, which have under their direction various governmental departments, particularly that of General Affairs. Municipal governments exist at Mukden, Harbin, and Changchun. At Harbin, however, it is planned to create a Greater Harbin, which will include both the Russian and the Chinese cities. The Special Railway District is to be abolished. Part of it will be included in Greater Harbin, and the remainder, stretching east and west along the Chinese Eastern Railway, is to be added to Heilungkiang and Kirin Province.

The "Government of Manchukuo" regards the provinces as administrative areas, and the districts and the municipalities as units of finance.