CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 8

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Enclosure 6 in No. 1.

Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong, to Secretary-General, Macao.

Sir,

Hong Kong, May 15, 1912. WITH reference to your letter of the 4th May, I am directed to state that the Officer administering the Government will be greatly obliged if you can inform his Excellency how many chests of opium the Macao opium farmer is allowed by his contract to import annually, and when his contract expires.

I am, &c.

Enclosure 7 in No. 1.

C. CLEMENTI.

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submitted with deference that the Macao farmer's allowance is much in excess of what he can legitimately dispose of, for (a) the daily consumption in Macao itself is understood to be, on an average, not more than two-thirds of a chest per diem, aud (b) the ports to which uncertified opium may legitimately be exported are very few, and have actually decreased in number during the years in which the demands of the Macao farmer have increased.

4. As the difference in price between the uncertified and the certified drug is over 2,000 dollars per chest, it is clear that ordinary measures will not avail to check illicit trade in opium. It is necessary to strike at the root of the evil by limiting the supply to legitimate requirements, and I am to enquire, on behalf of this Government, whether the Government of Macao will be so good as to co-operate with this Government by restricting the chests of uncertified opium which the Macao farmer may import to such a number as will supply the daily consumption in Macao itself and the legitimate export from Macao to countries other than China.

I am, &c.

C. CLEMENTI.

Secretary-General, Macao, to Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.

(Translation.) Sir,

Macao, May 17, 1912. IN reply to your letter, I have the honour by direction of the Acting Governor to inform you that under condition 12 of the contract made in July, 1910, the concessionnaire of opium can boil annually for consumption in Macao and its dependencies up to 20,000 and for exportation up to 60,000 balls of raw opium, but this permission the concessionnaire had never utilised to its full extent. These limits are reduced successively and annually by 10 per cent. and 15 per cent. respectively. The contract of 1910 will extend for three years, which, however, can be prolonged by the Government up to five years.

2. I forward you a copy of "Boletim Official," No. 26 of the 25th June, 1910, in which the conditions of the opium contract were published.

Health and fraternity.

MANUEL FERRA. DA ROCHA.

Enclosure 8 in No. 1.

Enclosure 9 in No. 1.

Acting Secretary-General, Macao, to Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.

(Translation.)

Macao, June 8, 1912. Sir,

IN reference to your letter, I am directed by his Excellency the Governor to request you to be good enough to furnish me, for facility of study of the subject, copies of auy laws which regulate the opium trade in Hong Kong.

I also request to be informed whether the quantity of 900 chests per annum, the importation of which is allowed to the concessionnaire of opium in Hong Kong, comprises opium destined for boiling for local consumption and opium destined for boiling for exportation, whether these two quantities are separately fixed, and whether the said limit of 900 chests is stipulated by some contract or regulation, or is it determined from time to time by the Colonial authorities.

I thank you in anticipation for your kindness for the supply of the above particulars.

Health and fraternity.

MANUEL FERRA. DA ROCHA.

Sir,

Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong, to Secretary-General, Macao.

WITH reference to your letter of the 17th May, for which I have to express my

Hong Kong, June 5, 1912. thanks, I am directed to state that the opium merchants in Hong Kong have represented to this Government that a very serious situation confronts the legitimate opium trade, from the fact that large quantities of uncertified opium are alleged to be smuggled from Macao to the neighbouring districts of China.

2. As you are aware, the legitimate export of prepared opium to Manila and America ceased in 1909. Since then the figures for opium imported into Macao and not exported into China are as follows:--

1909

1910

1911 (first six months)

1911 (second six months)

Chests.

181

150

192

651

The first three of these items represent the quantity actually boiled in Macao for local consumption and for export. But in July 1911 uncertified Indian opium first came on the market at a much cheaper price than certified opium, and at the same moment it appears that the requirements of the Macao opium farmer went up. Between the 1st July, 1911, and the 30th April, 1912, Macao imported 1,260 chests of uncertified opium, and it seems evident from the figures for the previous years that this quantity cannot have any legitimate outlet.

3. The Hong Kong opium farmer is allowed to boil 900 chests per annum, but it appears from the documents which you have been good enough to supply that for the year 1st July, 1911, to the 30th June, 1912, the total allowance of the Macao farmer is 1,525 chests, viz., 450 chests for local consumption and 1,275 chests for export. It is

Sir,

Enclosure 10 in No. 1.

Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong, to Secretary-General, Macao.

Hong Kong, June 12, 1912. IN reply to your letter of the 8th June, I am directed to state that the quantity of 900 chests per annum, the importation of which is allowed to the Hong Kong opium farmer, comprises both opium for local consumption and opium for exportation, that the quantities for local consumption and for exportation are not separately fixed, and that the limit of 900 chests is stipulated by the contract, of which I enclose a copy.

2. I forward also, as requested, a set of the laws and regulations governing the opium trade in Hong Kong, and I may add that, in view of the recent Opium Conference at The Hague, this Government is at present considering the question of what revision of the Hong Kong opium laws and regulations is necessary.

I am, &c.

C. CLEMENTI.

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