CO129-455 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [7-9] — Page 422

الا

H

No

.308.

REC

CO 03991

R & NOV 19

416

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 25th September, 1919.

My Lord,

34064 bandlin

Go

72911

する。

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's Despatch No. 381 of the 31st July on the subject of the suppression of the use of opium, under the terms of the Opium Convention signed at the Hague on the 23rd. January, 1912.

2.

I will in the first place recapitulate the

steps which have already been taken to control and restrict

the opium traffic in Hongkong; and I may refer in this con-

-nection to Sir Henry May's Despatch No. 102 of the 27th

March, 1913, a copy of which is attached for convenience of

reference. In the year 1908 steps were taken to close public

smoking resorts, known as opium divans, and these were finally

abolished early in 1910. In 1912 the quantity of opium allowed

for the Former's use was reduced from 900 to 660 chests. In

1914 the monopolywas taken by the Government into its own hands, and the maximum supply for the Colony was reduced to

540 chests. A further reduction has been gradually effected,

and the consumption is now at an average rate of 420 chests.

The establishment of the Government

3.

monopoly has greatly increased the efficiency of its control in all directions. The selling price of opium has been gradual- -ly advanced from $5.50 to 815 a tael. The opium is packed in

IGHT HONOURABLE

VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B.,

such

&c.

&o...