THE  GOVERNMENT  71
trate  ;  appeal  lies  to  the  Fu  and  cases  involving  the  death
penalty  are  reviewed  by  him  ;  death  warrants  are  signed
by  the  Niehtai,  except  in  case  of  rebellion  or  of  riot  capable
of  being  stigmatised  as  such,  when  summary  justice  is
inflicted.  Appeal  from  the  death  penalty  may  also,  and
in  the  case  of  officials  does,  go  to  the  Hing  Pu  at  Peking.
The  Hsien  is  also  coroner,  with  all  the  duties  of  that  office,
and  hears  suits  for  divorce  and  breach  of  promise  ;  he  is
also  prosecuting  attorney,  while  a  defendant  may  employ
a  lawyer  only  to  draw  up  his  plea,  but  not  to  conduct  his
defence  ;  he  is  also  sheriff  to  execute  all  judgments  of  his
own  or  a  superior  court  ;  and  is  jail  warden,  responsible  for
the  custody  and  maintenance  of  prisoners  before  and  after
trial.  If  there  is  any  part  of  the  judicial  function  which
has  been  omitted,  he  is  responsible  for  that  too.
The  fiscal  function  comes  next  in  importance.  As  is
explained  in  the  next  chapter,  the  Hsien  is  the  agent  of  the
provincial  and  of  the  Imperial  administrations  in  collecting
the  land  tax  and  the  grain  tribute,  but  he  has  no  concern
with  the  special  tributes  or  with  the  salt  gabelle  or  likin  ;
with  them  his  sole  connection  is  the  duty  of  protecting  the
collectors.
He  is  also  Registrar  of  Land,  and  the  system  of  verification ­
  is  so  thorough  that  a  deed  of  sale  certified  by  his  seal
may  be  accepted  as  a  warranty  of  title.
He  is  Famine  Commissioner  for  his  district.  It  is  his
duty  to  see  that  the  public  granaries  are  kept  full,  and  to
distribute  relief  in  time  of  distress.  He  is  also  Moth  and
Locust  Commissioner  to  combat  those  plagues,  and,  except
along  the  Yellow  River,  is  solely  responsible  for  the  prevention ­
  of  floods  and  reparation  of  their  damage.
He  is  the  local  representative  of  the  Rung  Pu,  and
the  Provincial  Treasurer  in  the  custody  of  official  buildings,
and  sees  to  the  maintenance  in  order  of  city  walls,*  prisons,
official  temples,  and  all  other  public  buildings  ;  •  and  must
*  In  cities  like  Soochow,  divided  between  two  or  three  Hsien,
the  maintenance  of  the  walls  is  not  also  divided,  but  is  entrusted  to
the  superior  officer,  the  Fu.