CO129-455 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [7-9] — Page 443

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EXTRACT FROM THE "SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST".

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OPIUM IN KWANGSI.

437 1

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Native raw opium is at present very cheap in this province a tael of the drug only being worth about 82 as

against 87 or 8 at the beginning of the year. This is said

to be due to the fact that complete arrangements have now been arrived at between the powers that be that opium from Yunnan can be freely imported. Despite the enormous quantities of the drug seized by the Maritime Customs now-a-days smuggling shows no signs of stopping and kerosene tins, cases, bamboo baskets and trunks with false bottoms have been found with opium. In fact nearly every vessel on the West River is concerned in this illegal business. China needs a strong Government to wipe out this evil but under present conditions nothing can be done at all.