CO129-483 - Others & Individuals - 1923 — Page 309

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i

Advisory Committee, as it was felt that the people

on the spot were in a better position than the Colonial

office to prepare it.

The despatch does not mention, or does not

deal adequately with (e. g.) :-

1. The obvious desirability of as great a proportion as

possible of the opium consumed in the Colony, being

Government opium, and therefore subject to Government

control.

2. The desirability of encouraging the use of Government

chandu which is of a far superior quality, and has less

deleterious effects than the smuggled variety.

3. The virtual impossibility of completely preventing

smiggling into Hong Kong owing to its geographical position and the consequent ease with which the staff can

be smuggled in, in small quantities, on the innumerable

jinks which use the port.

4. That so long as opium can be obtained from any

source, there will be a demand for it, and if Government supplies are restricted, the consumers will fall back on

the smuggled article. The price of this will go up to an extent that will make smuggling so profitable that the

preventive service will be unable to cope with it, result being that more opium than ever will be smoked and the position will be worse than before; the only people

to profit being the smugglers.

5.

The

That the figures of seizures prove that there is practically no smuggling of Hong Kong Government Chandu

pat of the Colony; the bulk of the opium seized being

Chinese from Amy clear evidence of the existence of

in the Colony.

an

ansatisfied demand

6.