CO129-508-7 Opium on Macao market 10-1-1928 - 9-11-1928 — Page 31

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these books that the imports of Fersian opium into Kacau were mostly if not wholly for the account of

the farmer, who had some arrangement with the

officials for permitting him a free hand, the

presumable consideration being shown in Annexe IV.

In the last week of the existence of the

farm, June 1927, there appears evidence of the

export of at least 125 chests of Persian raw opium to Shanghai per S/S "Tin Fook". This the first

intimation of such an export that can be discovered.

It is known that the Tacau Government prohibited the farmer from disposing of his last seventy five chests of Persian opium in order to give the new Official Honopoly some stock to start with, in case no Indian

opium could be obtained. If those 75 chests left behind

are taken into consideration 538 chests of Persian

opium are accounted for in the accounts for the two years in question. But there is no doubt that more and more Persian opium was used for blending in the last year, then Indian opium had become so expensive to buy in Kwong Chow Wan.

6 - Purchases of opium Indian see Annexe III.

The farm started apparently with no stocks of Indian opium, at least, no entry was found of taking over any from the Tee Shing Company.

Under the year 1924, entries are found that fees were paid to the Government on 90 chests and that the equivalent of 117 chests was imported. The entrics in connection with imports are not correct or complete, e.g. the arrangement was that the fees were payable on import, and there is no mention of the expenses in respect of the first 21 chests on which fees were paid.umhedzs In the same

way it is difficult to reconcile the entry of fees paid