This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
CHINA TRADE,
CONFIDENTIAL.
[37471]
No. 1.
633
[October 28.]
SECTION 1.
Sir,
Home Office to Foreign Office.-(Received October 28.)
Home Office, Whitehall, October 26, 1908. WITH reference to your letter of the 10th instant, asking for any Acts or Regulations in force in this country on the subject of the import, sale, &c., of opium and morphia, and inquiring whether there are any Regulations in regard to opium dues,* I am directed by the Secretary of State to say, for the information of Sir Edward Grey, that he has consulted the Privy Council Office, Board of Trade, the Commissioners of Customs, and the Board of Inland Revenue on the matter, and has ascertained the following facts:--
53
Opium is one of the poisons in Part 2 of Schedule A to "The Pharmacy Act, 1868" (copy inclosed),† and under the provisions of that Act it must be labelled "poison," and can only be sold by registered chemists.
Morphia comes under "alkaloids" in Part 1 of the same Schedule, and its sale is subject to further conditions (see sections 15 and 17 of Act).
None of the provisions of "The Pharmacy Act, 1868," except that of labelling articles "poison," apply in the case of the exportation of poisons by wholesale dealers. The importation and exportation of these drugs are not subject to any restriction under Customs law or departmental regulation.
The Secretary of State understands that the Board of Trade have forwarded a copy of the Foreign Office letter to the Local Government Board, with a request that the Board will reply direct to your Department.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
E. BLACKWELL.
*NOTE-Owing to a misreading on the part of the typists, the word "dens" in our draft was copied as "dues." The Home Office have been so informed, and have promised to obtain a report on the subject from the police.-B.A.
† Not printed.
[1980 ee-1]