CO129-465 - Public Offices & Others - 1920 — Page 119

when the trade in opium was made a Government monopoly, the maximum supply for the Colony (which in 1912 had been 900 chests per annum) had been

and the price to reduced to 420 chests per annum; the consumer had been raised from $5.50 to $15 per

tael.

As a result, the annual consumption of the drug had been reduced to less than 1 oz. per head

He adduced evidence of the Chinese population. demonstrating the immense volume of opium seized by the Preventive Service when being smuggled into the Colony from the United Kingdom, India, Saigon, Kwang Chan Wan, and, above all, China;

pointed out

the practical impossibility, from the geographical position of Hong Kong, of completely suppressing such smuggling; and submitted that au long as outside sources remained open, no further material result could be obtained by way of manipulating the price or output of the Government Monopoly.

Weihaiwei.

The Commissionereported that the only opium allowed to be consumed in the Territory was that imported by Government, and issued on payment to such persons and in such quantities as were recommended, for reasons of health, by the Government Medical Officer.

and their The total number of such persons was 34;

The Commissioner was of opinion that average age 62.

no further restrictions were practicable.

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