!
Ine S.S. figure for 1922
583
over the oium traffic in the countries where making
is still pemitted, an enormous siɛgling trade has sprung up in the Far East, in which our Possessions are main involved. Ample supplies for the contraband trade
are available from Fersia and latterly from China where the cultivation of opium has been revived on an
enormous scale. Many hundreds of tons of oplum are agrin being produced evory year in China, and large quantities are being mugled into neighbouring
territories.
was 42·9%.
In the MS. it is under 20%
The Government of Hong Kong estimates that only about half of the oplum smoked in the Colony is Goverment showpoly opium, the other half is maled.
As long as the sources of supply remain uncontrollad amggling will continu, ho. ever excellent the preventive services maintained by the Colonies.
The relapse of China affects our Colonies in another way. Practically the whole of the oplum smokinɛ in British Possessions is among the Chinese imigrants, and with the resumption of the practice of opium smoking in Chin, a moh larger number of the Chinese imigrants are bringing the habit with them, This particularly affects Hong Kong which has a large
and a very large traffic with the mainland. floating population of Chinese, some ten to twelve thousand Chinese passing daily. On the other hand, it is interesting to note that in Malaya it appears that the majority of Chinese smokers commenced the habit. there.
The other com lleation is that in some of our Possessions the profits of the opium monpoly for an important part of the genɔral revenues of the Colony. This is particularly so in the Straits Settlements
Actually in 1922, the fig. was 66% and the Malay states where the monopoly contributes
In the Unfediated states the figurds vary from 18.6% in Brneci 040%
in Johore.
about 50 per cent of the revanao.
difficult
•
This would make it
·
to bring arart from other dif loultles about suddenly any drastic change, though it is an un leasant feature of our position and one which
ex uses the British Government to many attacks in the United States of .merica and elsewhere.
4. There are two possible methods by which the suppression of the practice of opium smoking may be brought about.
One is imit the use of opium for smoking to
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