53213/22
300
month (which was 70% above the figures for 1921) even
allowance was made for the increase consequent
when
on the diminution of smuggling.
On the 26th of October a despatch(dated 14th of September) was received from the Officer Administering the Government (crossing the Colonial Office despatch of 27th September), confirming his telegram of 11th September He repeated that an increase in Government sales, in
existing circumstances was no indication of an increase in individual consumption; but was merely an indication
that preventive measures were for the time being
increasing the smugglers risk, and therefore lessening
the advantage of cheapness which leads the poorer classe 8
to prefer the contrabandto the legitimate article. He
urged that as a corollary to these preventive measures,
the Government ought to have in its possession a sufficient
supply of Indian Opium to meet the legitimate requirements
of the population, and that the amount required to meet
legitimate demands varies from 28 to 38 chests per month,
the demand being in direct ratio to the risk attaching
to the use of contraband opium, If the supplies of
Government opium were materially curtailed, there would
at once be a recrudescence of smuggling on a scale with
which it would be impossible to cope satisfactorily.
He
had therefore suggested a maximum supply of 400 chests
a year, as though this figure may rarely be reached, it
is essential to be in a position to meet legitimate
demands.
On the 10th November Sir M. Delevingne wrote
to Sir G. Grindle, suggesting that it would appear that
in these estimates allowance was being made for the
additional
:
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.