CO882-(4-5) — Page 374

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH NOT TO

B.

60

It is medically established that impotence and sterility are among the early and most marked of the consequences of excess in opium.

16. The above remarks, setting out my view that chandu smoking in moderation is not accompanied by ill effects to any appreciable extent are intended to apply to the Chinese race only.

17. I have but little knowledge of the Indian races in this connexion. A Sikh in Singapore, of exceptionally robust physique, has been pointed out to me as a man who has consumed opium daily for 43 years, and I am told that Sikhs, who are certainly not a degenerate race, as a rule use opium habitually, but, as I say, I cannot speak from personal experience.

18. (Tamils, as a rule, indulge in the products of Cannabis Indica to the exclusion of opium, with markedly unfavourable results).

19. As regards Malays, however, I can venture to speak decidedly with an intimate acquaintance of the people extending over more than 17 years.

20. To Malays, indulgence in opium is ruinous to the last degree. sifies with curious rapidity the lethargy which is characteristic of the race; it saps every The habit inten- good moral quality which they possess, and grave symptoms of constitutional distur bance set in from the very commencement of the practice. I look upon a Malay who takes to opium in any form, in any degree, as a lost man.

21. Against this opinion of mine may no doubt be cited the well-known cases of three Malays of rank, who are old men, who have indulged in opium from boybood and who are bright examples of mental and bodily activity to-day. But I believe such cases as these to be rare to a degree.

22. I do not know if class legislation is ever advisable; but if it anywhere is desirable, it is in this connexion, and I should personally welcome a law which would make the sale or transfer of opium in any form to a Malay a criminal offence in the Colony.

23. In concluding what I have to say upon this part of the question, it strikes me as a point of importance that in my experience no case of lunacy amongst the Chinese has been brought to notice, at all events, for the past 10 years, in which the mental aberra- tion could directly or indirectly be traced to the use or abuse of opium.

The record of consumers of alcohol and Indian hemp

widely different from this.

24. Licensed opium shops (smoking shops) are a necessity in the Colony. A coolie Licensed takes his opium at fixed times, and may be miles from his home when he requires to opium shops. do so.

As to ex-

cosaire number of licenses.

D

Licenses

under

Governuwent

control

Opium cannot be smoked in the open air, at all events by the working man, who cannot carry the necessary apparatus about with him,

25. I do not understand why the word "den" should be so universally employed in anti-opium literature to stiginatize the places where Chinese smoke opium. It is hardly conceivable that the (self-styled) "crusaders" consider the absence from opium shops of the meretricious allurements of the gin-palace a matter for regret. Then why call these places "dens," with the apparent intention of intensifying their " inably ignorant public.

horrors" to a preau-

26. As a matter of fact, there is nothing revolting about these smoking shops. Luxury certainly finds no place in them, but, viewed in a sanitary light, they are more desirable resting places than the coolie's home. And for scenes and sounds which revolt and disgust, we must turn from the Chinese in the opium shop to other nationalities in the public-house.

27. To speak with complete confidence as to whether the number of licensed shops is in excess of legitimate requirements would be to profess a knowledge which I do not possess.

But speaking from results, which are before the eyes of any who" can see and will see," I should say that there is no excess, and all a priori argument is against its possi- bility.

28. The ordinary consumer has but a limited amount of money to spend upon opium; no credit is given to him, and the price of opium at every abop is the same. And, finally, the granting of licenses is, to a certain extent, under Government control.

29. I have never understood the principle upon which the licensing fees are allotted to the farmer.

Unless (as is very probable) there are argumente in favour of the present system with which I am unacquainted, I should think it advisable, when occasion renders it possible to do so, to transfer the licensing power and the fees for licenses absolutely to the Government.

30. If this be done, I think that the fees might probably be raised without hardship to anybody, and they certainly might be made proportional to the extent of the licensee' accommodation for customers.

61

31. The only point I think remaining upon which my opinion has been invited is that of the feasibility of a Government monopoly in opium.

E.

Can

control the

32. I will say at once that I am confident that it is absolutely impossible for Govern- Government ment to undertake the direct control of the opium traffic in this Colony with any but traffic? disastrous results. Our geographical position, our extended coast and boundary lines, and the character of the people with whom we should have to deal put the question entirely and finally out of the range of practical discussion.

33. The evils so graphically depicted as existing here at present by the party which has raised this question would infallibly and at once become realities if effect were given to its recommendations.

It is surely preferable that these well-meaning persons should endure the pangs of vicarious suffering over evils which exist only in their own imagination than that a race of hardworking and admirable citizens should be subjected to degradation and ruin.

H. A. O'BRIEN, July 21, 1892.

Enclosure 5 in No. 27.

Acting Auditor-General, S.S.

MINUTE by the ACTING RESIDENT COUNCILLOR, Penang.

After a residence of nearly 20 years in the Straits Settlements I have no hesitation

in expressing my opinion on the opium question so far as it applies to the Government and to the bulk of the population of this Colony.

2. The evils consequent on the excessive consumption of opium, are similar to those which follow the excessive consumption of alcohol, but as 99 out of 100 opium smokers use the drug in moderation, I believe that the moderate use of opium is rather a blessing than a curse to the Chinese and other Natives in the Straits Settlements.

3. The Chinese are essentially vegetarians and opium has a beneficial effect upon them, acting as a stimulant.

4. I do not think that under the most favourable auspices, the licensing system would work as well as the farm system. The net revenue which would be derived from it would be very small as compared with what we reap from the farm, and it would entail prospective expenses in the way of pensions, &c. to revenue and customs officers which might materially hamper the Colony in years to come.

5. The licensing system as regards opium has been tried in other places and has failed, and in the case of this Colony where licenses have been introduced in place of a farm in one branch of revenue, viz., the pawn shops, the result has been disastrous as regards revenue, and very unsatisfactory to the people who make use of pawnshops to raise small temporary loans of money

6. I should not restrict the number of opium shops but Government should exercise supervision over every place where opium is sold. Every Chinaman who smokes opium will have his pipe, and I believe that the close proximity to an opium shop is no incentive to a Chinaman to spend more on opium than he otherwise would. On the contrary, when he feels be can get the drug when he wants it, he does not lay in an extra stock of it, but is content to purchase it when he feels so inclined.

one.

7. I believe the idea which exista as to private opium dens, is a very much exaggerated A wealthy Chinamah will smoke as much opium as he pleases, and he can afford to provide it for friends and visitors, but the number of Chinese of the lower and poorer class who congregate in one place to smoke opium, would compare very favourably with the number of people at home who herd together in public-houses and gin palaces to indulge in spirituous liquors.

8. I have never seen a man the worse for opium in any thoroughfare or public place in this Colony where Natives swarm, but I am sorry to be obliged to add that I have seen many Europeans drunk in public, though their number as residents or visitors is comparatively very small indeed.

9. The control of the sale of opium should be in the hands of Government, but that control cannot, in my opinion, be directly exercised more satisfactorily than by the supervision of a respectable opium farmer. These men are to a certain extent proud of their position, and appreciate the influence it gives them and my experience leads me to believe that this Colony has been very fortunate in its farmers. They are, as a rule, men anxious to meet the views of Government, and as men of business desirous to please H 3