Importers Licences:
The import of tobacco by unlicenced persons chiefly for transhipment has been regulated, and after full investigation licences were issued to the largest of the importers for transhipment. Owing to the boycott imports of Chinese prepared tobacco for shipment to Annam, Siam and the Straits had ceased for over a year, but the business had become very brisk at the end of the year, and many unlicenced persons were attempting to take part. Small commission agents in the Colony are asked by their clients to include small amounts of dutiable tobacco say 3 to 5 cases amongst an order for miscellaneous goods, the tobacco is imported from Macau or the interior of China ready for shipment, the bills of Lading are purchased here, and transhipment is made in open lighters, the dutiable goods remaining under the charge of some unknown person in the harbour waiting a ship, at times for days. It is highly undesirable that this practice should continue. It is possible to look after large consignments but when there are several small consignments afloat in open lighters scattered all over the harbour, and mixed up with other miscellaneous cargo, revenue control becomes impossible. Arrangements were made with one shipping company on the Saigon run to handle such consignments direct themselves.
III. OPIUM.
The gross revenue collected was $2,900,082 as compared with $3,466,521 in 1925. The decrease must be attributed partly to the effects of general business depression partly to a decrease in population, but mostly to the greatly increased number of persons who took to the purveying of illicit opium in small quantities for want of a more honest way of earning a living. There is no evidence whatever that there has been any decrease in opium smoking in the Colony, if anything the use of opium is more prevalent than it ever was, the majority of the adult Chinese who come to the Colony from China are opium smokers, though very few to excess.
Sources of illicit opium.
1. Macau. The number of seizures of Macau prepared opium was less than in 1925, but the cheapness of Macau opium still proved irresistible to many comparatively well-to-do persons. Smuggling of Macau opium for consumption in the Colony does not seem to be definitely organised, casual visitors to Macau or members of the ships' crew are commissioned to bring back a few taels. Delivery is generally made by employing the street coolies or coolies who work on the wharf, for a small sum to deliver it to its destination, these coolies know exactly the movements of the Revenue Officers both uniform and plain clothes men, and are very rarely caught, even if they are caught, they are quite content to go to prison for a few months.
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Importers Licences:
The import of tobacco by unlicenced persons chiefly for transhipment has been regulated, and after full investigation licences were issued to the largest of the importers for tranship- ment. Owing to the boycott imports of Chinese prepared tobocco for shipment to Annam, Siam and the Straits had ceased for over a year, but the business had become very brisk at the end of the year, and many unlicenced persons were attempting to take part. Small commission agents in the Colony are asked by their clients to include small amounts of dutiable tobacco say 3 to 5 cases amongst an order for miscellaneous goods, the tobacco is imported from Macau or the interior of China ready for shipment, the bills of Lading are purchased here, and tran- shipment is made in open lighters, the dutiable goods remaining under the charge of some unknown person in the harbour wait- ing a ship, at times for days. It is highly undesirable that this practice should continue. It is possible to look after large con- signments but when there are several small consignments afloat in open lighters scattered all over the harbour, and mixed up with other miscellaneous cargo, revenue control becomes impos- sible. Arrangements were made with one shipping company on the Saigon run to handle such consignments direct themselves.
III. OPIUM.
The gross revenue collected was $2,900,082 as compared with $3,466,521 in 1925. The decrease must be attributed partly to the effects of general business depression partly to a decrease in population, but mostly to the greatly increased number of persons who took to the purveying of illicit opium in small quantities for want of a more honest way of earning a living. There is no evidence whatever that there has been any decrease in opium smoking in the Colony, if anything the use of opium is more prevalent than it ever was, the majority of the adult Chin- ese who come to the Colony from China are opium smokers, though very few to excess.
Sources of illicit opium.
.
1. Macau. The number of seizures of Macau prepared opium was less than in 1925, but the cheapness of Macau opium still proved irresistible to many comparatively well-to-do persons. Smuggling of Macau opium for consumption in the Colony does not seem to be definitely organised, casual visitors to Macau or members of the ships' crew are commissioned to bring back a few taels. Delivery is generally made by employing the street coolies or coolies who work on the wharf, for a small sum to deliver it to its destination, these coolies know exactly the movements of the Revenue Officers both uniform and plain clothes men, and are very rarely caught, even if they are caught, they are quite content to go to prison for a few months.
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