The Opium MonopolyLa Motte, Ellen N. (Ellen Newbold)
History
The Opium Monopoly
La Motte, Ellen N. (Ellen Newbold)
Opium trade
Going over the files of the Government reports, we will begin with
the "Supplement to the Official Gazette for British North Borneo.
Administration Report for the Year 1910." Published June 1, 1911.
On page 3 we read: "Customs and Trade: The import and export trade
of the state shows a healthy expansion.... It is interesting to note
that imports show an increase at every station. Out of the 47 headings
of Tariff, there are only 7 which show decreases.... The largest
increases appear under cloth, $147,106; opium, $132,692, and iron
ware, $118,620.... The general all round increases ... are of course
due to the demand for supplies of all kinds in connection with the
opening of rubber estates."
The Supplement to the Official Gazette, Report for 1912 (published in
December, 1913) is also a report of general prosperity. Page 4: "Trade:
The volume of trade for the year 1912 was $11,139,122, giving an
increase over 1911 of 18 per cent.... Imports: As in 1911, all stations
show an increase of imports. Out of 47 headings, 33 show increases, 12
show decreases, and 2 remain stationary. Increases: There was an
increase under rice, flour and grain ... the increase under other
headings include sundries, opium, machinery, etc."
The next Government Report is not so happy. Opium imports show no
"healthy expansion." Thus, the Supplement to the Official Gazette,
Report for 1913 (published 1 February, 1915) says on page 4: "Other
decreases in imports were opium, $109,180. The decrease in opium was
due to the abolition of the Opium Farm, which also held the Labuan
Farm, and opium was therefore no longer imported from Labuan for use in
the West Coast and the Interior."
Still more bad news as to opium, in the report for 1914, (published 1
February, 1916). All imports drop. Page 4 records "Decrease in
imports.... Railway and telegraph material, rice, flour, grain and
opium." In this year the opium imports only amount to $58,464. This
general falling off in all imports may have been due to the war. But
the opium situation was apparently growing serious. On page 17 of this
same report we read that "Thirty-two ordinances were passed by the
Council and became laws during the year. Among them the Opium and
Chandu."
The brevity and meagerness of these official reports often leave one
puzzled as to their meaning. The Supplement to the Official Gazette for
1915 (published October, 1916), shows still more discouraging news as
to opium. Imports that year amounted to only $31,299. But, in spite of
this discouragement, hope still remains. The same report shows optimism
under the head of Excise. "Excise: $627,225, against $467,078, an
increase in the net revenue of $160,147, due to Government taking over
the sole control of the sale of chandu (smoking opium) and the
collection of other Excise duties, formerly farmed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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