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4Z. And 1 suggest that if 19'11 is taken as IOU
then 1920 should be taken as 14,3
1919.... 146
1918 .... 139
and 1917.... 119
Will you accept those figures ?-Yes, 1 accept those figures.
43. 1919 would be the most unlucky year, from that point 01
view?-Yes.
44. To what do you ascribe the difference between 1919 and 19.11; to
economic reasons solely, or population as well ?-Economic reasons and
efflux of population combined.
45. Which would you put as the major of the two ?-l think that it
must be chiefly economic.
46. You will put in tables· of the sales for past years, 1 take it. Will
you tell us whether the sales by the Monopolies in OllIe year might reasonably
be considered to be the consumption of. that year; that is to say, the stocks in
the hands of the public would remain about constant ?-Oh yes. There would
be only a very slight variation in the stocks.
47. You gave us just now the figures for the whole Colony showing
a reduction in the average consumption from 8'035 to 5'93. In the same two
years that you were comparing there, 1911 and 1921, is the reduction more
noticeable in anyone Settlement than in any other ?-Malacca shows the
most marked reduction.
The average in-
Malacca was 7'70 in 19II and 3'99 in 1921.
Penang was 8'17 in 191.1 and 5'40 in 1921.
Singapore was 8'03 in 19II and 6'41 in 1921.
48. In regard to prices, is the price of chal1l1u the same in every
Settlement ?-No, Labuan and Christmas Island have different prices frolll
the rest of the Colony.
49, There is a variation between Settlements; has there also been
a variation in price in the last ten years?-Yes. I put in Table I showing
past and present prices. '
So. Labuan there shows a price consistently less than Singapore?-Yes
.
. 51. Is the consumption in Labuan consistently greater or otherwise
than iii. Singapore, in so far as your figures go back ?-I have the figures for
1921; average consumption 12'74 in Labuan, as against the Colony average
of 5'93.
52. That would seem to show that there is a marked effect in raising
the price; or would you explain it in any way by leakage ?-I have just written
to the Resident, Labuan, for his views on the point and will let you know the
result.
53. You have read the 'terms of reference to this Committee? As
to the measures existing to control the use of prepared opium in the Straits
Settlements, will you please sketch us the major features ?t-The sole right
of import and export of opium is vested in the Superintendent; the import of
Chandu is totally prohibited; the right of manufacturing chandu from raw
opium is a monopoly in the hands of the Government; the export of chandu
except by the Superintendent is prohibited, In regard to sale restrictions, no
one can sel1 without a licence, either a licence to sell by retail, or a smoking
shop licence. A smoking shop licence admits of sale for consumption either
on or off the premises, Nobody can buy except an adult male, and no one
is al10wed to smoke in a smoking shop except an adult male Chinese. The
• Appendix VII. t See also Appendix LXV1!I,