CO129-217 - Governor Sir Bowen Administrator Marsh - 1884 [7-10] — Page 371

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368

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forwarded by last Mail, I referred to a probable falling off of $150,000. I think, however, on

re

e-consideration, that this

estimated reduction is too large. The Revenue derived from Opium must, as I have already stated,

be regarded under ordinary circumstances,

as uncertain, as,

17970

One hundred &

fifty thousand

no lese than 34 of the Opium those quartos: boiled and prepared here, and on which Excise duty is levied, is exported to California and Australia. The

only sertain

element

the

element on which this

Government

can reckon is the

-quarter #" which is boiled for local

overstocked markets, and a

consumption. Prohibitive duties,

reduction in consumption in

the

countrice to which it is exported,

will at any

time

seriously

interfere with the Revenue from this sourse, which has latterly amounted to about one fifth

the

of the whole Revenue

of Colony. The serious interruption to trade in consequence of the

hostile