CO129-349 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [10-12] — Page 100

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possible effective method of controlling and decreasing the

sale of Opium and preventing smuggling, is that adopted

after careful consideration of the conditions obtaining in

Hongkong, viz.:- to grant to a Monopolist the sole right

of preparing and selling Prepared Opium and to support

him by Government Police &c. In this connection too I

think that it is possible to impose some further restrict-

-ions with a view to ensuring a more effective control.

(c).

That the abolition of Divans will

merely deprive the executive of the means of controlling

the consumption and is quite as likely to increase the

number of smokers as to diminish them. That it is also

likely to demoralise domestic life by compelling smokers to

smoke in their women's quarters. Divans are a concomitant

or accessory of the habit and not an inciting cause. They

serve a useful purpose in enabling Government to exercise

an effective control, and by concentrating smokers they

prevent the spread of the habit by example. I concur that

they should be gradually reduced but only as the quantity

of Oplum in consumption diminishes.

(a).

That the real danger which is

threatening China and I fear this Colony also - is the

increase in the habit of eating Opium, and of injecting

Morphia,