Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 498

ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS COMMISSION.

REPORT.

HONGKONG, 12th August, 1898.

No. 1.

We, the undersigned members of the Commission appointed on the 14th day of Appendix February, 1898, to enquire into and report on the importation into Hongkong, and the manufacture and sale in Hongkong of Alcoholic Liquors of all kinds and into the operation of the laws regulating the same, and to ascertain whether any and what descriptions of crude, inferior, adulterated, or deleterious liquors are manufactured, or sold and by whom and to what extent, and what measures may usefully be taken to improve the laws and to check the importation, manufacture, and sale in licensed houses and elsewhere of such crude, inferior, adulterated, or injurious liquors, have the honour to forward herewith the evidence taken by us and our opinion thereon.

Appendices

some Noa 6 & 7.

2. The Commission was appointed because there was a strong opinion in quarters that deleterious liquors were being sold in the Colony, which were doing a great deal of mischief to soldiers and sailors. After the second meeting of the Commission on the 25th February, Mr. WoDEHOUSE, Dr. HARTIGAN, and Mr. McCALLUM left the Colony, so, in order to complete the investigation, it was necessary to ask the Government to appoint others so as to enable a quorum of members to be present at the sittings of the Commission. Captain HASTINGS, R.N., was appointed a member and Chairman in Appendix place of Mr. WODEHOUSE, and the other two vacancies were not filled up. Subsequently, with but three members it was found to be impossible on two occasions to have a Appendix quorum present, so an additional member was asked for and Dr. F. O. STEDMAN WAS appointed.

9.

No. 10.

3. With a view to obtaining the fullest information on the objects of this enquiry, Appendi questions were sent to the Deputy Inspector-General of Fleets and Hospitals, Hong- kong, Colonel The O'Gorman, d.A.A.G., The Principal Medical Officer of H. M. FORCES, Hongkong. The Principal Civil Medical Officer, Hongkong, Mr. LAWFORD (Secretary to the Commodore), The Managers of the China Sugar Refinery, to all Chinese holders of Distillery Licences, and to one foreign Consul. It has been found necessary to examine two witnesses and to hold four meetings. In view of the reasons assigned for the sixty-seven cases of alcoholism that occurred during 1897 in the Government Civil Hospital we did not think it necessary to call the Principal Civil Medical Officer before the Commission.

4. At the first meeting on the 22nd February last, we requested the Secretary to draw up a report on the manufacture and composition of the Chinese liquors known as samshu, also to visit the Chinese distilleries and report upon the quality of the materials Appendix used.

Appendix No. 11.

Browne, 15 et seq.

5. As regards importation we have evidence that a quantity of cheap liquors are brought into this Colony. We have evidence also that because these liquors are cheap it does not follow that they must be made from crude, inferior, or decayed materials. Manufactured from good spirit there is a large profit on the liquors which are sold at 20 cents a bottle. Moreover, analysis has shown that these cheap liquors do not contain deleterious substances, but that they lack flavour, body, and aroma, and that they contain less fusel oil than genuine spirits. The tests to which liquors are subjected in the Government Laboratory are sufficiently severe to warrant the Government Analyst passing them as harmless, and this opinion is eutirely supported by the medical evidence received by us and by the records of the amount of drunkenness in the Colony. Appendi There is no ground whatever for the assertion that there exist in Hongkong deleterious liquors of which a small quantity produces sudden and temporary insanity in the con- sumer or the appearance of having been drugged.