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Honourable Colonial Secretary,
1. News has reached me of a great scandal at Macao in
connection with the opium farm. One man called Drummond
connected with the Water Police is said to have been sentenced
to two years imprisonment, most of the staff of the water police
have been dismissed, one official who formerly acted as Colonial
Secretary has been suspended, and the Governor is said to be
threatening to take the opium monopoly out of the hands of the
present farmer and to run it as a Government Department. The
opium farmer is stated to have been importing opium with the
connivance of the officials without paying the proper dues and
exporting without proper authority.
2. The instances related are these
{
(a) Drummond in charge of a water police launch found a junk
with a cargo of kerosene tins which proved an examination to
contain opium, he received a bribe of $2,000 and released the
opium, which was intended for the opium farmer. Some one how-
ever reported the matter, and the junk was again searched by a
Naval ship and the opium found and seized.
(b) Suspicion attached to constant exports of kerosene nomin-
ally to a Portuguese Catholic missionary at Shiu Hing, one con-
signment was examined and was found to contain opium and arms and
ammunition. And it was believed that most of the former consign-
ments were of the same nature, though their real destination was
not that given. The opium farmer was said to be concerned in
this export.
3. The whole matter is being hushed up and kept out of the
papers. The opinion is expressed amongst the Portuguese that the present Governor is determined to clear up the mass of corruption which has had its source in the opium farm for many years past.
4. It is reported that the opium farmer has been called on to pay a heavy sum by way of amends to the Government.
sd. J.D. Lloyd.
Superintendent of Imports and Exports.
28th February, 1927.