Modular Infotech Pvt. Ltd. - DSpace

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Mr. TAN BOON CHENG was called.
4379· Chairman.-What is your name ?-TAN BOON CHUNG.
4380. You are a member of the Chinese Advisory Board ?-Yes.
4381. Are you a member of the Anti-opium Society ?-Mr. CHOW THYJ:
wrote asking me to join this Society.
4382. And you ha"e not yet joined ?-He sent for me, but 1 did not
go. I was busy.
4383. Mr. Lim Nee SOOIl.-YOU are not a member?-l am a member
but I do not attend.
4384. ChairnuJII.-Are you an opium smoker ?-I was an opium
smoker.
4385. You have reformed ?-Yes.
4386. Do you think opium ought to be suppressed ?-It is very good
to suppress it, but when the steps are taken good principles must be adopted.
There are three things to be discussed. The first is as to whether Government
is to' sell chandu by retail. The second is as to whether there should be
limitation of opium. The third is as to the registration of opium-smokers.
4387. Are you in favour of all three ?-I object to it, because as a
miner it will be very hard to get labourers.
4388. It would be very hard to get them to register ?-It is very difficult
to get them to register because opium is sold by the Government and there
is a fixed time for selling chandu.
4389. You mean the distance they have got to come after the day's
work is over if they have to buy every day ?-Yes, owing to the distance the
coolies have to go to attend. They will not be in time to buy opium.
4390. Then they would go without and that would cure them of the
opium habit ?-But they cannot stop the habit all at once.
4391. Yon do not suggest they would only do half a day's work to
get their opium ?-I£ they do half a ddys work they cannot go to buy their
opium.
4392. Why?-If. they are sick they cannot get their friends to buy
opium, and the sickness will be very serious.
4393. If the Anti-opium Society here supports licensing and registration,
and) ou are a member of it, you cannot support it ?-1 wi1\ support the
Anti-opium Society if good principles are adopted. The Government must
take care to do so.
4394. Mr. McLean.-How long do you think the Government should
take to suppress it ?-I t is very difficult for me to say that. If the Government
is going to suppress opium the Government must erect more buildings
for hospitals.
4395. Sir David Gal/oway.-Supposing that we follow your advice and
reduce the strength of tl:e opium, how much should we reduce it each year?­
The strength of opiu{Il can be reduced greatly.
4396. Yes, but how much ?-One hoon a year.
4397. Ten per cent per year ?-We have to see whether the Government
is going to suppress it quickly or not.
43gB. That is just what we are out to find out ?-If we want to suppress
it quickly, in three months, we can reduce the strength of opium by one hoon.
4399. Mr. McLean.-You are on the chinese Advisory Board, and we
would like to know what we ought to do ?-We should adopt this reducing