CO129-479 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [1-3] — Page 9

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1. On arrival at Colombo I called at the Colonial Secretary's Office and was referred to the Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer who gave me further information about the opium position in Ceylon and documents which had been supplied by the Government of Mauritius for my guidance.

2. On arrival at Singapore on 16th November I called at the Colonial Secretary's Office and on Mr. Gordon Wilson, the Officer in charge of the Government Monopolies Depart- ment, who showed me over the opium factory and offices, and took me round several of the smoking shops and gave me much valuable information about the position in Singapore and in Malays generally, As I had not to leave Singapore for Bangkok until 25th November and therefore had some ten days to spend I thought it wise to take the opportunity of

seeing something at first hand of conditions outside of

Singapore. I therefore went by steamer to Penang where

Mr. Walter, the Officer in charge of the Monopolies

Department there, arranged for me to be shown round and

to discuss matters with various Europeans and Chiness, officials and others, who were interested in or had special knowledge of the question. I then went by train to Kuala

Lumpur, sew Major Stamford Raffles, in charge of the Opium

Department there, who showed me round the offices and some of the smoking and retail shops. I also interviewed Kr.

Chapman and other officers of the Chinese Protectorate.

I returned to Sing-pore by train on 24th November and left

for Bangkok on 25th,

3. Before dealing with the Conference itself it may perhaps be worth while to give some account of the information received and the impressions formed during my

stay in Malaya and Siam with regard to the opium prob) em in the Far East generally, in view of the fact that the question of further restriction is likely to be raised in the near future and any additions] }ight on the subject

may