No. 26,855
Governor.
No. 130
Date. 1st May 1891
Last previous Paper. Hongkong No. 11621
(Subject.) Opium Farm
Forwards petition from W. Meade for a reduction in his contract. Encloses copies of reports on smuggling of opium. Has reference to No. 9894.
Next subsequent Paper. 461
DESPATCH. No. 11621
Received [REG 8 JUN 1891]
The correspondence in No. 9894 referred to alleged smuggling into China with the connivance of the Farmer; but from these papers it appears that this Farmer countercharges that his business is seriously damaged by smuggling from China into Hongkong.
The Government are proposing steps to prevent both sorts of smuggling, and have reduced the Farmer's monthly payments from $38,800 to $35,800. I do not see that we can object.
(Minutes.)
W. Meade
This has crossed an despatch.