Mr. C. WILSONasked the Secretary of State for Colonial Affaire the total consumption of liquor and opium in the Straits Settlements for 1910, 1915, 1920, and the last available year; and whether any steps are being taken to reduce the consumption?
§ Mr. AMERYI have no information as to the amount of liquor consumed in the Straits Settlements. The amount of Government prepared opium consumed in the years 1910, 1915, 1920 and 1923 was 1,651,658, 1,451,932, 1,810,164 and l,322,048 tahils, respectively. The policy of the Government is to discourage the consumption of opium. In the past this has been achieved by progressive increases in the price at which the opium is sold to consumers. The stage has, however, now 1171W been reached when it is considered that further increases in price would have the effect of encouraging the illicit trade to such an extent that consumption would be increased instead of diminished. The Government is now engaged in carrying out measures which it is hoped will lead ultimately to the registration and rationing of opium smokers. If and when a system of this kind can be brought into effective operation, the reduction and ultimate suppression of the consumption of prepared opium will proceed more or less automatically. In the meantime, the
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. — Total Liquor Revenue. Liquor Revenue per head of the Total Population* Total Net Opium Revenue Opium Revenue per head of the Total Population.* $ $ $ $ 1922 … … 3,134,085 3.55 14,730,724 16.67 1923 … … 3,259,094 3.69 15,047,419 17.00 * Calculated on the basis of the population in the last census year (1921).