CO129-367 - Acting Governor May - 1910 [6-7] — Page 215

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Lantos ent no betval gated xat aɗt nomatant tneacıq erið ri omw tellod est mort bajosifon ħna,muiqo bezaqong to ddgłow Bloo I tend miri od tvo betaloq I ‚ærsɗoma ait mort bereYODBY al mob bisi erubeoorg add to draï .erstrojni vidsaoaset Jon atnereteta Isolbotreq to arofseb eIszelody snið yď autraimut end blvos I tant bisa I omia mind of bus,aoise has adocta "ledt to

nt (ðædt Jaloq ent no bisi aaw aaos732 .noldoetɗo exist Jon add tot beenq at ydub “* *** Ji,ilt miqo ads to nolalgo ent tant saiq edt no „bakɔ vna to moitaxat Isnoltibha to moltiloɗa of beurter I welv tx aidt Ndiw .cbsxt olamente od beboet di *INONOO

concur, contending that it was open to the Chinese Goverment to

deal with the suppression of opium smoking in any manner they

saw fit, so long as equality of treatment between foreign and

native raw opium obtained. In the course of argument I adduced

several illustrations of what conceivably might, but of course

never would happen, without our being in a position to re-

-monstrate. Inter alia I cited a licence fee of Tls 500 on

every smoker, and committed myself to a statement that, in the

extremely unlikely event of every ounce of Chinese opium having

ceased to exist, and no farther supplies being grown, the

Chinese Government could with a perfect show of right approach

the British Government with a request that the sale of British

Opium cease. This statement created so startling an impression

that I daresay it will be widely quoted. It is of course an

individual diagnosis of a suppositions case, and, if erroneous,

can at ones be rejected by my superiors.

The farmer of the tax gave full assurance.

that it would, in the province of Kuangtung, be a single levy

only

on prepared opium and that unbroken packages of raw opium

would not be interfered with in transit. I have received

similar assurances from the Opium Prohibition Board. Under the

circumstances, therefore, I do not propose, unless instructed

to the contrary, to take action. A copy and a translation of

the Regulations are enclosed.

It may interest you to know that, on the

authority of the farmer, opium smoking in Canton amongst the

well-to-do classes has not sensibly diminished, and amongst

the lower classes only to the extent of fifty per cent. The

former are willing to pay any price for their favourite drug and

are commencing to hoard opium against the time when total

suppression comes into forca. It is with a view to endeavouring ́

to check this propensity, and to retain raw opium under

observation, that the authorities are calling for a return

of sales effected by the wholesale dealers. Prepared opium

will