CO129-457 - Public Offices - 1919 — Page 381

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The subject on the manufacture of opium in Timor then.

began to receive the attention of opium traders in Hong-

kong, especially the Company who are controlling the opium

monopoly of l'arcau, several Chinese opium representatives

from "ongkong then visited Timor, with the result that the Portuguese Timor Authorities no doubt with the concurrence of the Colonial Minister at Lisbon invited new tenders publish-

-

ed in the Boletin Official October 19th 1918 for the

boiling and exporting of opium, but again no reference

was made as to whether permission would be allowed by the

British Government for the export of raw opium, to Timor,

notwithstanding this the Portuguese Timor Government sold

by public auction the right to manufacture and export

opium on the 18th January last giving Leong Kwong the

option, there were several "bidders" the highest being

3,159,000 dollars (three million one hundred and fifty

nine thousand) Leong Kwong having the option accepted this

price, but subsequently on instructions from Hongkong

withdrew his tender with a forfeit of 5,000 dollars to

the Portuguese Government.

The representative of the arcau Company in the mean-

time had protested to the Governor of Marcau and the Portu-

guese Minister at Lisbon against the option being given

to Leong Kwong, and since I have been credibly informed

that the Lisbon Goverment have requested that all tenders

and correspondence in connection with this matter be for- |

warded to Lisbon, pending the result of their enquiry the

metter is definitely held up, and all the Chinese opium

mongers are returning to Hongkong from Timor,

Remarks:- Opium has never been manufactured in Timor.

The "Farming" of opium in Timor is so small, that no com-

ments are necessary. Origin and destination:- If Moro-

poly of Opium was granted the export would be, not tô

Hongkong or l'arcau, but to Chine by a Chinese owmed vessel

sailing/