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when called upon to do so with a return of the quantity of any poison he may have in store.
20.
may
The question, as to the penalties that should be affixed, who shall be the Authority under the Ordinance and the form of the 3 Schedules herein alluded to, might perhaps be allowed to stand over until His Excellency has considered this report.
21.
With regard to the possible objection to legislation referred to in paragraph 21 of the attached extract from my annual report for 1888 I might here point out that although both the plants Datura alba and Gelsemium elegans grow in the Colony they do so to only limited extent. This is especially the case with Gelsemium elegans. Datura alba is not so rare, it may be seen growing in waste places on the mainland and on this island.
If, however, it became necessary the officers of the Botanical Department could within a few days' notice make it a difficult matter for anyone to find a single specimen growing wild in the Colony.
22.
From the observations I have made I incline to the belief that in the majority of cases where persons have been convicted of "administering a stupefying drug" the drug in fact has used the dried flowers of Datura prepared as they are to be found in the druggist's shops of this Colony.
Moreover, it must be remembered that the plant is not in flower all the year round. A sale of poisons act would be a great service if these flowers are purchased in Hongkong for criminal purposes.
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