complained of, as far as the Opium licenses concerned. ... He also proposes that the Salt Weigher's tax, and in fact that nearly all taxes should be abolished, on the ground principally that their collection renders an objectionable interference on the part of the holders of these licenses necessary, and he states that a preventive service is kept up by the holders of the licenses for the purpose of maintaining their privileges.
From this position taken by Mr Campbell, but with the full impression that he believes his statement to be true, I must explicitly dissent. I assert that a preventive service is indeed necessary and has been in the Colony.
Since I have been in the Colony, I have made numerous and constant inquiries from Europeans and Natives on this subject, and this is the first time I have ever heard of such a body. I have reason to believe that Opium without a license is now sold in quantities under a chest not only by Chinese but by Europeans also. Before the strict monopoly was abolished by my predecessor in 1847, persons used to take out licenses from the Opium Farmer to enable them to retail Opium in less quantities than one chest, because he kept up a preventive service to uphold his rights, which were already observed under a strict monopoly.
I again repeat that I am satisfied there is no preventive service kept up by the holders of the Opium licenses, any more than there is by the other licensed dealers in spirits or any articles for which licenses are issued.