CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 547

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bid for the privilege of selling opium, but t soon becamo vident that the Farmer would be unable to fulfil his con- tract. Accordingly at the beginning of 1907, the Govern- ment took overtho Ferm, together with the Ocium Factory Thero the drug was proparod for consumption.

11. At this stage the Gov.rnment norely replaced the Farmer, and carried on the sacs through sub-Farmers (Sa-Kong- si) as before. From a financial point of view the ralts Foro excellcat, since the profits of the sub-Farmers, or mid- alomon, more limited to 1 tical por tamlung. Vido also para

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By this time the question of opium hed become an internetional one, and a public dcclaret ion of the orium col- icy of Sian was mado by His lato fajosty, in his annual speech from tho Throno, on September 21st: 1906. (Annexe 1). This mes followed soon after, by the first Opium Commission held at Shanghai in February 1909, at which Siam was represented and a statement of the policy of the country was prosented to the Commission by the Stamoso Delugation. (Annexo II).

13. Since in any farming system, however nodified, the Farmer will always try to soll as much as he is obl, it was spoodily op "arent that the system then in force wes in- conpatible with a policy of ultimate superustion. The Gov- ornoment realized that the sale of opium should be entrusted, so far as possible, to officials on fixed salarios, but ado- quato control over these officials ws, unfortunately, al- most impossible, unless the ocium wuro packed for retail in such a manner that it could not bo t mpered with the salca- Mon, It was therefore decided to croct now and modern fac- tory for the preparation and cæcking of opium tubos, follow- ing the system adorted in the Netherlands Indics. Tenders zeru called for and the machinery ordered in the year 1910,

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In December 1911 and January 1912, the first Internationel 0-ium Confurence was held at the Hague, Siem ars represented and was one of the countries signatory to the Convention concluded at the Conference. (Sco Annexo III for Statement of Delegation.)

15. In 1912, the nor Onium fretory was commenced and the machinery uructed, and in April 1913 (commencement of Buddhist yurr 2456) opium was rutailed in tubes in the city