[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL
[3717]
C.O
174
30645
[January 26.]
RECO
SECTION 3.
REGA 17 AUG 14
No. 1.
Sir,
Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received January 26.)
Downing Street, January 24, 1914. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 27th October last, I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir E. Grey, a copy of a despatch from the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa stating that Ministers have now withdrawn their objection to adhesion to the Opium Convention of 1912. I am to enclose also a copy of a despatch which, in view of this decision of the Union Government, Mr. Harcourt has addressed to the High Commissioner for South Africa regarding the question of the adhesion of the South Africa Protectorate.
I am, &c. (For the Under-Secretary of State),
HENRY LAMBERT.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sir,
Viscount Gladstone to Mr. Harcourt.
Pretoria, December 24, 1914.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith, with reference to your despatch. of the 25th October, copy of a minute on the subject of the Opium Convention of the 23rd January, 1912.
I have, &c.
GLADSTONE,
Governor-General.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Minute.
WITH reference to his Excellency the Governor-General's minute dated the 19th November, 1913, transmitting a despatch from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the Opium Convention of the 23rd January, 1912, Ministers have the honour to inform his Excellency that, in view of the repre- sentations of the Imperial Government, they now withdraw their objection to adhesion to the convention, which can accordingly be signed on behalf of the Union Government, and that steps will be taken for the introduction of the necessary legislation during the next session of Parliament.
J. C. SMUTS.
Pretoria, December 19, 1913.
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
Mr. Harcourt to Viscount Gladstone.
My Lord,
Downing Street, January 22, 1914. WITH reference to your despatch of the 2nd December, 1912, I have the honour to inform you that, in view of the fact that the Union Government have now consented to adhere to the Opium Convention, 1912, I consider that the administrators of Northern and Southern Rhodesia should now be pressed to agree to the convention being signed in respect of those territories, and I should be glad if you would communicate with them accordingly. You should explain that, although the adhesion
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