642
기자
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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of opium smoking in the Far Eastern Colonies. My memorandum dated March, 1927,* was prepared in connexion with a Committee of Ministers which has been appointed to consider the policy of His Majesty's Government in this matter.
2. Copies of these documents are also being sent to the [Governor of Hong Kong] [the Officer Administering the Government of Straits Settlements].
C. 30843 27 [No. 25].
(No. 440.) SIR,
No. 86.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
FEDERATED MALAY STATES.
UNFEDERATED MALAY STATES.
I have, &c.,
L S. AMERY.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street, 16th September, 1927.
I HAVE the honour to inform you that, in view of the recent increase in the consumption of chandu in Malaya, His Majesty's Government have had under review the developments which have taken place in connexion with the control of opiumi smoking in Malaya since the time of the Geneva Opium Conferences in the winter of 1924-25. It is convenient that at the outset of your term as Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner for the Malay States, you should be made acquainted with their views on this matter.
2. In my despatch No. 110 of the 24th of March, 1925,† your predecessor was reminded that it is the earnest desire of His Majesty's Government that all prac- ticable steps should continue to be taken to give the fullest possible effect to the obligations assumed under Article 6 of the International Opium Convention, 1912. To this end and in connexion with the further obligations assumed under the Geneva Opium Agreement of the 11th of February, 1925. His Majesty's Government approved the adoption of the recommendations of the British Malaya Opium Committee, 1924. as a working basis for the policy to be followed in Malaya.
3. It will be convenient to summarize here the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee.
The Committee satisfied themselves that the consumption of chandu in Malaya had diminished very appreciably in recent years; but they had doubts whether, under the then existing measures of control, a further steady reduction of consumption might be anticipated. They felt that owing to the steady influx of adult Chinese immigrants, reliance could not be placed solely an educational propaganda to eradicate the opium habit in Malaya, and they were forced to the conclusion that this end could only be eventually achieved, without causing unnecessary hardship, through control over smokers individually, such as might be secured by a system of registration and rationing.
The Committee, however, emphasized their view that the benefit to be derived from such a system would be in direct proportion to its effectiveness in practice. and they adduced cogent reasons to prove that any attempt to introduce it prematurely would not only be bound to fail in its object, but would have the most unfortunate results from the point of view of the good government of the country. They accord- ingly recommended that the Malayan Governments should proceed gradually, by a series of stages, which would have such a system as their eventual objective.
The stages recommended were :--
(a) The complete elimination of the private retail shops and smoking saloons, the substitution of Government shops and saloons, and a drastic reduction in the number of opium shops;
"to each Government retail shop (b) concurrently with (a), the attachment of an "Observer
to "study the people who come to buy opium and gradually to compile facts as to the number and class of consumers with a view to seeing what the next step should be " (c) the creation of a permanent advisory Committee who (inter alia) should guide the experi-
ments in connexion with the "Observer" system;
;
(d) the formulation, on the basis of the date and experience furnished by a year of this system in full and universal working order, of a measure of compulsory simple registration of This measure to be framed in such a manner as to cause a minimum of friction amokers. (in order to avoid antagonizing the consumers, and so as to result in a maximum of efficiency);
* No. 83.
† No. 77.
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(e) this measure to be recognized by the Malayan Opium Advisory Committee as being a preliminary step towards an individual rationing system, but no further steps to be taken until the system of simple registration has been given an exhaustive trial. In addition to their main recommendations, summarized above, the Committee advised that the system of packing chandu in paper packets should be replaced by a system of packing in tin tubes, with the objects of (a) assisting in the detection of illicit opium, the traffic in which may be expected to increase with the introduction of more stringent measures of control, and (b) reducing the smallest quantity sold, thus (it was hoped) leading to a reduction in consumption by smokers of the poorer class.
The Committee also recommended that steps should be taken to discourage the swallowing of" dross a practice which is regarded as the most pernicious phase of the opium habit; and amongst other observations, expressed themselves in favour of free treatment at Government hospitals for all bona fide applicants for the cure of the opium habit.
1. His Majesty's Government were aware that your predecessor was doubtful whether it would ever be possible to introduce measures of registration and rationing in Malaya, with any prospect of success, at any rate until, with the restoration of order and effective Government in China, the smuggling of opium from that country representing a wide diversity of experience and outlook, special weight attached to their recommendations.
5. In conveying to your predecessor the approval of His Majesty's Government for the adoption of the Report by the Governments of British Malaya, I expressed the hope that the preliminary measures (such as the elimination of the private retail shops and smoking rooms) would be carried out with the greatest possible despatel:, in order that the way might be paved for the introduction at the earliest possible moment of the measures of control over smokers individually, which were regarded by the Committee as the essential means for ultimately bringing about the complete suppression of the practice of opium smoking.
6. It is a matter of great satisfaction to His Majesty's Government that the difficult task of eliminating the private retail sale of chandu, coupled with a drastic reduction in the number of shops and smoking saloons, has been effected so expeditiously. In the Federated Malay States (where the process had in fact been begun in 1919 and was completed by the 1st of January, 1926) the magnitude of the change over which has been effected is shown by the figures in the following table :—
Smoking Saloons.
Total. Government. Private.
1919 1923
1926
Retail Shops.
Government. Private.
291
Total 291
ᎪᏝ . 111
150
196
111
215
215
164
164
61
61
-
In the Colony of the Straits Settlements the change-over presented even greater difficulties. Apart from the fact that at the date of the Geneva Conference no Government shops had yet been opened, and that the total number of private retail establishments to be replaced (538 shops and 270 saloons) was much greater than in the Federated Malay States, it was a very much more difficult and costly matter, in the crowded city areas, to provide suitable Government premises: Nevertheless the 538 private shops were completely replaced by 74 Government shops by the end of March, 1926, and the private smoking saloons were finally replaced by 36 Government saloons by the end of September, 1926.
7. The Federated Malay States Government is also to be congratulated at having system, suggested by the Malayan Opium put a modification of the "Observer Committee, into operation at all Government retail shops throughout the Federation in 1924. From reports which I have received from your predecessor, I understand that the experiment has met with success, and has already gone some way towards facilitating the introduction of a system of simple registration of consumers.
8. As regards the recommendations of the Committee in regard to the packing
of chandu, my approval of the capital expenditure necessary in connexion with the erection of a new factory was conveyed to your predecessor, and I understand that the plant which is being built in this country will shortly be ready for delivery.
9. I have also noted with satisfaction the progress which has been made in the recovery of dross.
10.
I have followed with interest the reports of the medical authorities on the experiment, inaugurated in conjunction with the anti-opium Societies, of setting aside large numbers of beds (and in some cases complete wards) in the principal Govern- ment hospitals throughout the Colony and the Federated Malay States for the free