Page
LEAGUE OF NATIONS. WORK OF THE OPIUM COMMITTEE. -
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS. FRIDAY, JULY 13′′. 1931.
MAIL BAG WHICH WAS OVERCARRIED. INTERESTING APPEAL CASE AT
SINGAPORE,
-An interesting append came before the Chief Justice, Sir Walted S. Shaw and dustiers Whitley and Branch, at Singa pore, “last = week...-lt was an appeal
case arising
THEATRE ROYAL.
LAST
OF
NIGHT
THE FAMOUS
thrich is fetter containing a bill of RUSSIAN LIGHT OPERA &
There was general agreement that the The Committed finally adopted His War had greatly increased the gravity of Excelloney M. Tang Tsai Fou's suggese) the opium and drug questions, partly by tion that the Council be recommended to postponing the application of the Hague call the attention of the signatorics of the The League of Nations Advisory Com-Convention (the Convention, although Hague Convention to Article 5, Chapter mitter on the traffic in opium and other concluded" in 1019, did not come inte IV., ofthe Hague Convention, pledging. dangerous drugs held its first session at fores until January 10th of this year), them to help the Chine▷ Government to Geneva from May 26, The "Compartly by relaxing some of the measures prevent the smuggling into China of the mittee was set up by the Council. a{rnal inkels in various countries druga mentioned in the Convention. Sir following a resolution of the Assembly. against the drag trite, and partly owingh Jordan's suggestion was also adopt against a decision given by Mr. Justice and on the suggestion of the Netherlands to the amount of opium grown and sold ed asking the Council to request the
Bairett Lennard, the Powers to exercise prissure, through a letter containing a bill of Government. Its function is to asist and advise the Council in supervising | ligerent Armies. To-day the four 'chip through their Consular and other. Top | lading being overcarried by the Thong-
for the medical needs of the various bel Treaty the execution of agreements with regard opium-growing countries are China, tentatives in China, on the provincial to the traffic in opium and other danger Persia, Turkey, and India. Of these governments, in order to get them to take The appellants, Messrs. Boustead & sus drugs, a duty laid upon the League China, grows far more than all the rest measures against the true in opium, had the British India Steam Navi- by Article 23 of the Covenant. The put togetherMr. Campbell declared. This step should only be taken, explainedgation Co., Ltd., were represented by members of the Committee age M. W. G. twenty-five to forty times as much as
Sir John, provided the consent of the Mt. G. Carver and Mr. A. J. Shelley- Central Government were first obtained Thompson appeared for the respondent, van Wettum (Holland, Chairman), Sir
Britain, India, which grows about as much and it was made perfectly e'ear that no S. Narayanaïamy. Malcolin Delvingne (Great Vice-Chairman), M. Gaston Kahn Turkey and a little ass than Persia. i
Mr. Carver said the appellaats in fact (France). Their Excellencies A. Ariyoshi Sir John thought the Sgure for China interference in China's internal affairs
or any political objects whatever werowe spally the British Steam Naviga Prinen Chardon (Siam), Mr. J. Camp.exaggerated, but admitted there were intended. His Excelency M. Tang Tsai tion Co., Ltd., and the original judgment] (Japan), Tang Thai-fou (China), and
Ferris exact figures and the amount was cur Fou abstained from voting on this resolu- given against them was only for $30, but beli (India), and Mr. H. (Portugal). To the Committee are attainly large. India is a party, to the
expert advisers, called Hague Convention, whose provisions shotion, and. speaking as a representative of tached thre assessors, Sir John Jordan, late British strictly enforces and in some cases, even the Central Government, declared that Almistert Peking. M. Brenier, late goes beyond. Persia is also a party to present there was only one province French Minister at Bangkok and Shang the Convention, bat with reservations Kwan Tang-that had not submitted to hai, and Mrs. Hamilton Wright, who on vital clauses. Turkey will
against the possibility of exaggerated accounts getting abroad as to the amount to see that by an over-carriage of a of opium growing in China: each of the mail bag. it might involve very large two conflicting parties was in the habit sums indeed. As their Lordships would ef accusing the other of encouraging these, in the present case the "damages cultivation of opium, in order to exploit awarded were nominal, $30 in respect of the odiam thas incurred. A further sug- gestion of Sir John's was adopted, namely in engage an expert from Hongkeng, the gate-way of the opium trafic, on leave in Europe, to sift and clarify the informa- tion contained in the answers to the Com- nittée's questionnaires received China,
auto-
there were questions involved which were
of great importance to shipowners who
carried mails in their steamers, because if they were liable to the owners of
with hir husband has been the inost dis-matically become a party whenever she the Central Government, and warned letters entrusted to their care, it was easy |
tinguished American worker in the cam- paga against the opium evil.
At it outset the Committee found itself faced with a decided difference of pinion between Prince Charoon of Ciam and two of the assessors-Sir John Jordan and Mrs. Hamilton Wright-on the ane band and Mr. Campbell, the repre- sentative for Indin, on the other. The third assssor, M. Brenier, and Sir the chief Malcolm Delevingne spukearen for the majority of the inter Committee, which occupied an mediate position. The difference in opinion began with the competence of
ane letter.
Mr. Justice Brunch said that otherwise than in exceptinhal cases, damages As in the present case would always be nominal.
ratifies the Sevres Treaty.
Renning China. China who owing to her size and immense popuation is the heart of the whole opium question: Sir John Jordan described the position in that country; China is party to the Convention, and besitles that had four years ago cleared herself of opium owing to a tremendous joint effort in the part of the Government and public opinion. Sir John particularly insisted on the strength of this pabic opinion and on the extraordinary success of this effort to wipe out a centuries-old evil at a blow No sooner had China, however, destroyed the Commites-and the interpretation of the opium within her borders thanary questionnaire on hashish, cgoninaliable, but he could not deal with that|
began to be gruggled This was the time, the Committee's first session. It is a very had made a long search through a number infrom abroad. according to Sin John, to have restricted detailed and carefully worded document of anthorities, to discover any case, which
wefe
rention, and extended to questions of fact and policy..
League.
from
This questionnaire, and a supplement
J
Mr. Carver said there were EWO grounds of appeal and the first oric dealt with the question that a carrier of mails, was not a bailes of goods and was not
Government to all governments both being liable as trustee. He would-base members and non-members of the League his argument on his second ground of three months from the European and ander Section 18 of the Straits Settle The answers are to be asked for within appeal, which nas to seek protection seven from Far Eastern governments, and ments Post Office Ordinance. will furnish the fullest information in existence on
the measures and laws
against the abuse of langerous drugs taker ander the Hague Convention or otherwise, their effect in practier, and the Production, consumption, and trade in more the Committedias recommended the
The Chief Justice asked Mr. Carver if he admitted his Arst ground of appeal reply Mr. was a bad one, and in Carver said he was in rather a difficult position, as he had been instructed from Calcutta
23 of the Convention the League's fries to the amounts strictly necessary for cil of the League and the Netherlands matter from the ordinary case of a bailee Mr. Campbell held that under "Article the cultivation of opium in other coun of six paces" to be sent through the Caut-supported that view or differentiated the
medicines, ote: This was not done, and sule enncern was to supervise the Hague Sir John was positive and offered to prove Opinn Contention, and that anything by facts and figures that some of the beyond this "was at rss for the smuggled opium curte from India and from Governments to whom Indin had. Furthermore, he pointed out that the exported its raw opium. He also blamed Convention dealt differently with raw the opium moncpolies in Singapore, as opian (Chapter 1), prepared copia well as in Hongkong, Maens, and other (Chapter 4.), and medicinal opium, teased territories. In these cirremstances. morphine, cocaine, heroin and similar the fight against opium eventually in drags (Chapter 11.). The Convention China collapsed. The situation was far is most drastic about prepared opium ther complicated by the political dissen- (ie, opium prepared for smoking); sions within China To-day opin iyi and dangerous drugs. Further
import the Contracting Powers being grown in three dis we plesized immediately to prohibit. whose military governors atrage and wide export, sale, manufacture and tant Central Government, and encourage as they are to suppress as fast as-pos the cultivation of the poppy in sible. Article 13 of Chapter 1. clearly raise revenue for their troops, in addi; Convention, and, to make an energetic handed in at the Post Office, Penang, atipulates that the Contracting, Powers tion the whole of North Chinn is ducted rffort to get all governments both men whence the mails were sent to their deal-
with morr hine, smuggled in front some unknown source abroad.
In conclusion Sir John saith he was sent deplorable and dangerous situation, was still capable of overcoming the opium the rest of the world. But he considered drastic ly to restrict the cultivation of the only effective measure of support was opium. Prince Charoon of Siana renaark. ed that the main difficulty of suppressing the opium traffic in Sin was due to the smuggling of opium from Burna.
Council to make an enquiry through the Secretariat of the League as to the average order to irements of all countries of the drags mentioned in Chapter III. of the Hague
very simple and were not in dispute. He thought the facts of the case were Respondent enclosed a bill of lading in letter and posted it. Tot aan on mining the letter should have been
are to permit the export of medicinal opium, morphine, cocaine, herein and no forth, only to persons who possCh importing country. On the other hand, "Chapter 1, dealing with raw opium, merely states that (Article 3) 'the Con evil, provided she were loyaly backed by growing countries, will be asked to with ship's arrival. Mr. Carver said their]
beis and non-members of the League-non-tination. By an error, however, the mail members to be approached through the officer over-carried that particular muil Netherlands Government to ratify the bag and the result was that the respon- licences issued by the Government of the confident that China, in spite of the pre-Hague Convention.
dent was unable to take delivery of the Notably Persia, one of the four opium-gouds (a box containing coin) on the draw her reservations. The Committee and recommendations to the forthcoming tection, by Section 10 of the Post Office will make a short report on its findings contention was that the officers of the postal department were entitled to pro- Juas meeting of the Council, in time to Ordinance. He then went on to refer to lay.before the 2nd Assembly next Beptem
r. and a long report, based on the in the agreement dated December 4th, 1912, formation received from the answers to between the Government" and the questionnaire, in time for the 3rd B.I.S.N. Co. by which mails were to be
carried. Assembly in September, 1922.
n.
PORTUGUESE CRISIS.
the
tracting Powers are to control the ox- mattian pa to countries restrict ing its import, and to prevent its export to countries" that have prohibited catry, and farthermore (Art 5) to confine ex port and impart to duly authorised per sons. As Mr. Campbell interpreted the Mr. Campbell, in repy pointed out Convention it imposed no restriction that the whole of this discussion was whatever on the cultivation of the poppy Tuftra einn for the Committee and the
Mr. Sheller-Thompson said that res or the export of raw opium, save the League, since the League had only tho
pondent posted the letter to Negapatam obligation to co-operate with countries power to supervise the execution of the
in India and it was conveyed by the limiting or probibiting its import. Hague Convention, and that Convention
Thongwa. The mails officer referred to Acting on this view be desired that said nothing whatever about restricting
was the ship's officer, the second officer He dwelt on the enquiry which Sir Malcolm Dele-the cultivation of opium.
A BLOODLESS "COUP.
be believed, and it was in the ordinary vingne, the British delegate, proposed the diffoulty of arriving at the Hague
course of his duties, as officer on a steam- should be made through the Secretariat, Convention-it took two decades to get
er employed as independent carriers, to on the average requirements of every the Convention concluded. That Convent-
LISBON, May 22nd.
land that mail, bag at Penang, where it country for the Drugs mentioned in the tion had here in force exactly four
President Almeida having accepted, the would be re-sorted and sort on to Indin. Convention, should be limited to the months, and the Committee had as yet no drugs mentioned in Chapter III. information as to the extent to which it representation of the military junta asThat bag was not landed at Penang and it did not rench India for a considerable an indication of the wish of the country time. First On the other hand, Sir John Jordan had been applied and its effect in prac
all it was over-carried to argul that unless the Hague Conventice. In the circumstance was it not too tion restricted the growing of opium tu try to suggest scrapping this instra for the dismissal of the Government of another port and then brought back to Bent and getting a new one before some Senhor Machado, first entrusted Senhor Penang. Meanwhile the respondeas, was the aniounts necessary to satisfy medical fuller attempt had been made to test its Thome Barros Queiroz, the Liberal, with unable to obtain delivery of his box of or other legitimate deeds it was hardly potentialities! As to the India Govern- the formation of a national Ministry coin, owing to the absence of the bill of likely to prove of any use so far as ment's opium policy, Mr. Campbell denied He declined, however, without a dissolu- lading. The Thongwa carried the box Chink was concerned, for so long as that it was influenced by revenue con- tion of Parliament, holding that the containing the coins and the mail. bag in opium was grown in large quantities it siderations or in any way responsible for existing Parliament' offered no guaran. question also. They charged a sum of would be sure to find its way to the China's present troubles. The best proof tees for a rapid approval of the measures 81,000 for carrying that box, which oc consumier, in spite of all import and of both these statements was that the deemed urgently necessary for the sal cupied a very small space in the safe. export regulations.
Mrs. Hamilton Indian Government had after the Shang vation of the country.
When the consigato applied for delivery Wright strongly supported this view and hai Agreement of 1007 sacrificed £4,000,000
he was not able to get it, owing to the
ין
1
added that if the League's powers for of annual revenue an amount equal to Senhor Augusto Soares, Foreign fault of the person or persons over-carry. dealing with the opium traffic were so 8 per cent. of the total revenue, and Minister in the Government of the ing the bill of lading. They not only limited as Mr. Campbell suggested, no necessitating internki taxation to make "Union Sagrada," was then entrusted at prevented him taking delivery of the box time should be lost in calling together a good the loss and cut down her export mid-day with the formation of a Govern but they brought, it back to Singapore new Hague Conference empowered to by 20 per cent in order to help China.ment. The recently-appointed command- and wanted him to pay another $1,000 amend the Convention.
The manual export of opium from mat of the National Guard has resigned," because we have brought the bor india had dropped from 18,000 chests to together with his chief of staff. Perfect back 10.000 chests and the area under cultiva order has, however, been maintained, tion from 300,000 acres to 100,000 acres.
༅1
Sir Malcolm Delevingne, backed by the majority of the Committee, thought that By the terms of the Assembly Resolation
..
Mr. Shelley-Thompson said.be submit- There is, for the moment, some ted the 30 damages were not sufficient the Committee was authorised to discuss Of the exports 77 per cent. are consigned obscurity about this latest Portuguese and that a much larger, sum should have
to foreign governments, and only 23 and express an opinion at the time per cont; some 2,300 chests, go to Chino coup. The movement is obviously due to been awarded.
'the'intervention of the military, though
that arose in connection with the opium As for the suggestion that some of the there is no indication as to what poli- trying to enlist our sympathies. (Laugh- and dangerous drugs, trafic, but that toplum sent to foreign governments found
The Chief Justice: I think you are would be wiser to defer recommendations its way to Chins, he could only say that tical objects they are supporting, and all far strengthening the Hague Convention the issue raised was the very delicate reports agree in stating that the coup
ter.) antil such time as the Committee had had a few months to consider the work one of the veracity of foreign govern has been carried out with the minimum Their Lordships said they would put
ments. ing of the Convention, and the informent would not permit the export of fallen Prime Minister, Benhor Machado,
In any caso the India Govern- of violence and without bloodshed. The their decisions in writing. mation contained in the answers to its opium to any irresponsible government was, it, will be remembered, a staunch questionnaire as to the execution of the likely to permit its abuse, As for supporter of the Allica during the war. MANY CHANGES HAVE BEEN Convention. The Committee adopted Burmah, the difficulty there was enor Times. Mr. Campbell's suggestion that the en- mous The government of Burmah came quiry as to the requirements of drugs be to the conclusion. that they could not Immited to Chapter 111. drugs. It also prohibit cultivation during the war with-
animously passed the following resolu- ont provoking the risk of insurrection. The Portuguese, Legation take the #ioa:
Now, however, the matter bad been taken following statement from official news **The Committee recommends the up again. There were three distinct Council to suggest to the Parties to regions in Burmah: in the Administrareceived yesterday:--
AN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT..
MADE
in the manulatum of gises; one of the most
Crykes, who, as the moult of numerous experi important is that invented by Sir William
ments, combining glaw with various metals,“
the International Opium Convention tive areas the government's policy is "The Government, feeling that they did that in order to enable the Govern- prohibition: in the Provinces where the not possess all the necessary conditions has succeeded in producing a material which nients to carry out their obligations government have control, gradual sup to continuo in office, though no adverse cuts off 98 per cent of the infra-red or bout under Articles. 3 and 5, and under Pression: the third ares, close to the vote had been passed in Parliament, rays together with the ultra-vio'et or chemical Article 13 of the Convention, the fol- Siamese border in inhabited by wild examined the whole situation at rays-oslled Sir William Crookes Class lowing procedura should be adopted: tribes, and, here the Government are Cabinet meeting at which it was decided Every order for the export to an powerless to prevent smuggling. The to tender their resignation. This was ac importer of a supply of any of the amount of opium produced there is how cepted by the President of the Republic, drugs shall be accompanied by a certi. ever small. So long as China is growing who immediately undertook the usual fleute from the Government of the im-something like to per cent of the world's constitutional démarches for solving the porting country that the import of the and. Porais e 4 per cent., it would be a Threats of disturbances have entirely establishment in the Colony-located in 53,
opium, to India's and Turkey's 3 per cent. Cabinet crisis, consignment in question is approved menning ess sacrifice to abolish the cul- by that Government and is required for tivation of the poppy in India, where it disappeared and complete order legitimate purposes."
# is strictly controlled..
quiet prevail throughout the country.
and
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