233

V.-Opium Offences in Burma.

Cases of smuggling and illicit possession, in which the opium was probably Chinese.

Number of persons

convicted.

Seers.

1920-21

Total amount of opium seized. Equivalent in Taels (approx.).

962

1,284

31,700

1921-22

1,021

1,127

27,800

1922-23

1,029

1,052

26,000

1923-24

1,087

1,677

41,400

1924-25

1,007

2,441

60,250

1925-26

1,075

3,020

74,550

1926-27

1,221

2,580

63,700

C. 63004/29 [No. 59].

Prepared

Prepared

opium sold.

Per head.

Taels.

Taels.

Taels.

Taels.

1918

639,684

1.10

1923

384,124

0.38

SIB,

1919

457,968

0.76

1924

351,560

0.35

1920

294,376

0.46

1925

233,495

0.23

1921

1922

262,805 370,332

0.39

1926

195,224

0.52

1927

292,830

0.195 0.30

N.B.-Price of Government opium has remained at 14.50 dollars per tael since 1918, except during the period 3rd October, 1927, to 31st December, 1927, during which three different brands of Government opium were sold experimentally at 15 dollars, 8.33 dollars and 6.66 dollars per tael. (At present rates of exchange, 1 dollar=28. approximately.)

III.-Offences under Opium Ordinance: Hong Kong.

Number

Persons

of cases.

convicted..

1918

307

411

1923

1919

314

686

1924

1920

452

875

1925

1921

2,147

3,040

1926

1922

1,879

2,396

1927

Number of cases. convicted. 2,775 3,510 5,019 6,167 4,407 5,835 4,644 6,428 5,114 6,726

Persons

No. 209.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. [Answered by No. 210.]

Foreign Office, S.W.1, 20th July, 1929.

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Henderson to refer to Foreign Office letter of the 10th instant, and to connected correspondence on the subject of the League of Nations Commission of Inquiry into the control of opium smoking in the Far East.

2. I am to inform you that the members of the Commission will assemble on the 15th August at Geneva, where they will spend a fortnight before their departure. for the Far East. They will no doubt desire to devote this period to a preliminary study of the questions which they are to investigate, and Mr. Henderson considers it of importance that they should have access to reliable and recent information as regards the control of opium smoking in areas under the jurisdiction of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom which they will subsequently visit, and particularly as regards the difficulties with which the various Governments are faced, and the measures which they have taken or are contemplating to overcome these difficulties.

3. Mr. Henderson would consequently be glad if Lord Passfield, should His Lordship see no objection, would cause a memorandum containing the information indicated above to be prepared and transmitted to him in time for this document to be placed at the disposal of the members of the Far Eastern Commission of Inquiry on their arrival in Geneva on the 15th August by the Secretary-General of the League of Nations to whom it is proposed to forward it, if possible, before that date.

I am,

&c.,

GEORGE MOUNSEY.

IV.-Seizures of Opium: Straits Settlements.

C. 63004/29 [No. 60].

No. 210.

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.

Downing Street, 3rd August, 1929.

I AM directed by Lord Passfield to acknowledge the receipt of your letterf on the subject of the League of Nations investigation into the control of opium smoking in the Far East, and to transmit to you copies of a memorandum on the position in the British Dependencies in the Far East which, if Mr. Secretary Henderson sees no objection, might be placed at the disposal of the Members of the Commission as suggested in your letter. Copies of this letter and enclosure are being sent to the Home Office and India Office.

Raw. Prepared. Total.

Tahils.

Tahils.

Tahils.

1918

52,811

15,028

67,839

1919

15,219.

8,419

23,638

SIR,

1920

12,154

5,087

17,241

1921

4,462

6,723

11,185

1922

5,398

3,732

# 9,130

1923

6,887

29,438

36,325

1924

12,613

90,539

103,152

1925

36,656

275,089

311,745

1926

18,602

170,014

188,616

1927

6,200

183,115

189,315

NOTED.

(1) Seizures are occasionally made in the Malay States, but they are negligible in quantity. (2) Although exact figures are not available, all but a very small percentage of the opium seized is of Chinese origin.

I am, &c., 1

G. E. J. GENT.

* C. 63004/29 [No. 56]; not printed.

† No. 209.

698

له

. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

PERNIC.O.882/11

سياسيا

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON | ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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