CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 472

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2.

The profit which the Fermer allowed to the sub-Farmer ers usually one ticel rer tanlung, or taol (37.5 grams, vide

The retailer, es a rule, section 3 of Ocium Law, B.E. 2464).

was allowed only a small profit on the price of the opium sold by him - the major part of his profits being obtained

or ashes left in the opium pipes from the sale of the "dross" by consumers. (Vide also paras 53-55).

6. The methods described above were in use for a very

ong period and the profits obtained by the Opium Farners considerable revenue raid to the

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large despre the Govern ent. Vide Annexe VIII,

7. At the beginning of this century a strong movement was started for the suppresion of opium smoking, notably by certain interests in the United States of America, which coun-

The views try was faced with the roblem in the Fliprines. of the Anti-Crium League were als represented in the British House of Commons. As a result of this movement the Govern- ment of the Philippine Islands, in 1903, appointed a Commission under Bishop Brent to investigate the conditions of the opium traffic in different countries in the East, (They did not visit Siam). In 1904 this Commission cresented its report, which recommended, inter alia, that prohibition should be nade ef- fective in the Insular territories within three years.

8. The Government of the Philippines accepted the find- ings and recommendations of this Commission to a large extent and & strict prohibitory law came into force on ferch 1st, 1908. They readized, however, that a prehibitory law would be large- ly nug-tory if smuggling from other countries could not be effectively prevented, and that for this purpose the co-opera-

There appears tion of the oxcorting countries was necessary,

to be no doubt that this conviction led to the United States of America being the prime mover in calling an International Comnis.don to meet at Shanghai in February, 1909.

9. While those events ero taking place, the Siamese Government had also realized the trend of modern opinion, and

The had decided to adopt a policy of gradual supoross ion. first stop was obviously to obtain a better control of the traffic in opium, and an excellent opportunity for doing so presented itself in the year 1907,

10. Owing to the handsome trofits made by the O-lum Fermor, and the increasing prosperity of the country, compoti- tion was very active at the scriodical salos of the Farm ani over larger amounts were offered for the rights conferred by the monopoly. In 1906 this resulted in an enormous sum being