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A 61
14. We feel it necessary to say that even if the number of adult
Chinese male smokers in each territory were given to us and we
were asked to find a formula of the nature under consideration
universally applicable to British Malaya alone we should hold the
tribal differentiation to be an insurmountable difficulty in solving
the problem.
15. We say, for example, that given the average consumption
per adult Chinese male smoker in Hongkong, to apply that to the
given number of smokers in the Federated Malay States would
be unfair, because of the inclusion of the 26 per cent Hokkiens and
Tiechius in those States. We say that a formula so ascertained and
applicable to Hongkong would be still more inapplicable to the
Straits Settlements with its 59 per cent of Hokkiens and Tiechius.
16. We come nearer home and say that to give a fair ration to
the smokers (when known) in the Straits Settlements and apply
that to the neighbouring Federation would be giving an unnecessarily
high ration in the Federated Malay States, while the Federated
Malay States fair ration would be too low for the Colony.
11. We feel that, even neglecting the needs of opium users of
nationalities other than Chinese, the propos'11 in its present form is
inappropriate to the requirements of the various territories in
British Malaya.