1
611
URRO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |
58
give their personal vote in favour. In the Unfederated Malay States no possibility of carrying such measures save by pressure of right under the existing Treaties. Both in Federated Malay States and Unfederated States consider it highly impolitie to bring such pressure upon the Rulers.
I understand that you are dealing direct with British North Borneo and Sarawak.
46782/24.
No. 37.
HONG KONG
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 8.45 a.m., 2nd October, 1924.)
TELEGRAM.
Report has been published. 2ND OCTOBER. Your telegram of 29th September.* Copies should arrive England about 24th October. No objection supplying League of Nations. Alterations have been made in accordance with your telegram of 4th Septem- ber.t with the following in addition (to) paragraph 6 omit "it is notorious"
an unscrupulous revenue "reduction "; paragraph 15 last sentence, substitute" officer and an informer '; paragraph 16, second sentence, for "Hong Kong Govern- ment "substitute "This Government."
46896/24.
No. 38.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 4.45 a.m., 3rd October, 1924.) TELEGRAM.
to
2ND OCTOBER. Your telegram of 28th September.* I should like the Opium Report to be sent to the League of Nations.
48826/24.
No. 39.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 6.45 a.m., 15th October, 1924.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 43.]
SECRET. 15th October. My telegram of 18th September. Opium. Am satisfied. after personal discussion with the highest authorities, that Siam, Colonial Governments of Netherlands East Indies and Indo-China are strongly opposed to any reduction of opium revenue.
Do British Delegates know what line will be taken at the Conference by the repre- sentatives of France, Holland, and Siam.
49310/24.
59
No. 40.
MEMORANDUM FURNISHED BY H.H. THE TUAN MUDA IN REGARD TO THE SYSTEM OF CONTROL IN SARAWAK.
PRIOR to 1924 the supply of opium for consumption in Sarawak was in the hands of "Farms" Syndicates, but for many years past the preparation of the drug from the raw material had been under strict Government supervision in order that the health of consumers should not be affected by adulterated chandu. To this end all chandu consumed in the country was prepared at a central depot in the capital, Kuching, and supplied thence to the Farms Agents in the various districts.
Owing to some oversight Sarawak was not included in the list of States which were parties to the Opium Convention of 1912 although His Highness, the late Rajah, expressed his sympathy with the aims and objects of the Convention when originally approached on the subject.
The steps taken by His Highness the Rajah to conform with the policy of the League of Nations as outlined in Article 6 of the Opium Convention are as follows:—
In December, 1923, the Chief Secretary of Sarawak notified the Directors of the Farms Syndicates that the Sarawak Government would exercise their right of terminating the existing lease of the Opium Farm and that this would be conducted as a Government Monopoly as from the 1st July, 1924. In a memo- randum accompanying the letter he stated that the Government has no desire to inflict hardship upon genuine opium smokers but intends to prevent, as far as possible, those who have never smoked opium, especially young men, from acquiring the habit.
Previously, about September, 1923, the Chief Secretary had approached the Directors of the Farms Syndicate to invite their co-operation in some system of registration of opium smokers and was assured by them that they would co-operate in this to the best of their ability, if His Highness' Government would give a definite promise that they would not raise the price to the consumers above that existing of eight dollars per tahil, as the Chinese themselves were doing their best to discourage dross-taking and every increase in price is accompanied by a corre-. sponding increase in this vice.
was published stating On the 1st July, 1924, the " Opium Monopoly Order that the importation, preparation, sale, and export of opium would henceforth be carried on by the Government. This Order provides that no one save a regis- Opium tered smoker may purchase opium and he only on production of his Passbook" at a retail shop licensed or controlled by Government. Provision is made therein for punishment in connexion with the possession and consumption of opium by unlicensed persons and with the possession of a greater quantity than can reasonably be accounted for by any licensed individual.
27
(
At present figures of guaranteed accuracy are not available as the result of
the Government assuming complete control of the Monopoly, but it is hoped that
a general memorandum will be received at the end of October, 1924. A report based on the reliable statistics obtained during the year's working of the Monopoly will be furnished after July, 1925.
The following are the latest available figures
Estimated total Chinese adult male population
consumers
per head Chinese adult males
"1
11
1922 Consumption
11
consumers
1923-Consumption
"
per head Chinese adult males
consumers
*
1
"
Opium imported (115 chests at approximately 69 kilos raw
opium per chest)
Sarawak Government Offices.
16th October, 1924.
30,000 5,000
5,262 kilos.
170 grammes.
1.02 kilos. 6,451 kilos. 215 grammes. 1.29 kilos.
7,935 kilos.
* 43681/24: not printed.
† No. 35.
‡ No. 36.