CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 607

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[F 1651/15/10]

No. 1.

[May 2.]

SECTION 1.

604

Mr. Gurney to Earl Curzon.—(Received May 2.)

(No. 112) My Lord,

Tokyo, March 18, 1921. WITH reference to Sir C. Eliot's despatch No. 73 of the 26th ultimo, in regard to the question of the production and consumption of opium and morphine in Formosa, I have the honour to report that it has not been found possible to obtain supplementary information of value from the Japanese Foreign Office,

In reply to an enquiry as to the discrepancy between the import and consumption figures for opium, and the loss of weight on the manufacture of paste from crude opium, Mr. Tauska merely states that the difference is due to the fact that purchases are made according to the state of the market whilst consumption is uniformi, and that the amount not consumed is kept in stock by the Government of Formosa.

Mr. Tanaka has failed to furnish any explanation of the omission from the returns of the trade between Formosa and Japan of any reference to morphia, but he admits that the figures mentioned by Mr. Butler, namely 300 kin a month, represents approximately the average amount exported from Formosa.

I do not think it would serve any useful purpose to press the authorities in Tokyo for further information at the present time, but I am requesting His Majesty's consul at Tamsui to furnish a report in regard to the amount of opium imported into Formosa in 1920, the number of licensed smokers, &c., in compliance with the desire expressed by the Home Office in their letter of the 9th November last.

I have, &c.

[6219 5-1]

HUGH GURNEY.