CO129-399 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [1-2] — Page 312

CONFIDENTIA L.

Sir,

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13

Do.

Rece

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Red 17 FEB 13

310

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 25th. January, 1913.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt

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of your telegram of the 16th. instant in which you state that you must adhere to your decision that the maximum amount of prepared opium which a consumer may have in his possession must be limited to three taels. I enclose a copy of my telegram of the 21st.. instant in reply, and I have now to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 22nd. instant in which you approve of the retention of the à tael limit for one year. Tour instructions will be given effect to.

2.

The representatives of the Opium Farm have raised strong objection to the imposition of a three tael limit which would, they urged, occasion them much expense. A large quantity of tins of the five tael measure with appropriate labels are in stock or on order, and the transfer of the existing stock of the present Farm to the new Farm would be much complicated if the contents of the tins have to be divided into new quantities.

3.

The difference between three and five taels is

not great and the large amount is too small for purposes of profit- -able smuggling. It appeared probable that if the lower limit were

insisted upon the Farmers would refuse to sign the new contract,

and as it was too late to call for fresh tenders a serious loss of

revenue might have resulted.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, L.P.,

&c.,

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