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KAENERTENT
Honourable Colonial Secretary,
Re Persian Opium.
I forward a report on the examination of documents
and enquiries made concerning the firms Kwong Hing Loang and Yue Hing Steam Ship Co. of 108 Des Voeux Road Central, the owners of the wellknown ship S.S. Philadelphia, which has completed two voyages with Persian opium fra Bushire.
Lo
The interest lies in the fact that for the first time I have been able to prove that a cargo of Persian opium was actually arranged and financed in the Colony.
3.
was
Unfortunately I was only able to arrest an employee of the firm, though I was convinced myself that he was a responsible ran in the firm I was unable to prove it to the satisfaction of the lagistrate, and he/accordingly discharged. The principals all absconded, and I have been unable to trace them. At least ten of them actually had lived in Hong Kong, and must be well- known to many of the Chinese mercantile comunity. But as usual I have been unable to obtain any particulars of them. Many of them had places of residence, in addition, outside the Colony, and went backwards, and forwards, in fact it was this point which would have rendered it very difficult to bring home a charge of dealing in opium to any one of them, it being very difficult to convince the magistrate that any action in reference to the opium had been actually performed in the Colony, by any particular person mentioned.
4. I have however reason to believe that the action taken thoroughly scared a good many of the higher class of Chinese merchants who were quite partial to takin; a share in an opium gamble.
ad. J.D. Lloyd.
Superintendent of Imports and Exports.
22nd October, 1926.
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