CO129-400 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [3-4] — Page 38

C.O.

7933

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Gr 7 MAR 13

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4o. 311-87

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PARAPHRASE OF TELEGRAM From the Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Received, Colonial Office, 1-10 p.m. 7 March 1913)

4896u7

Your telegram March 6th in cypher I ? regret that

this Government cannot accept 260 chests of opium as

a reasonable allowance for cons mption locally at Macao. Such a diminished figure will prejudice seriously success of the proposed Government opium monopoly at Hong Kong and will render it difficult to suppress smuggling by coasting vessels to Philippine Islands and elsewhere. Government of Hong Kong is therefore not willing to amend the resolution which accompanied Sir F. Lugard's despatch No. 315 of September 6th 1911 in order to allow of the transshipment of Indian opium to Macao unless the allowance for local consumption there is reduced to 180 chests per annum.