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4.
The answer to the last question makes it
clear that there is no "unfair" profit made by Chinese
officials in the sense in which you use the word, as
this Government has given no guarantee to reduce
automatically its sale of opium. It may however be of
interest to your Association to know that of the illicit
prepared opium seized in the Colony during 1920, no
less than 92.1% consisted of opium which had been grown
and boiled in China.
With regard to the last paragraph of your
letter, I have to inform you that the provision
permitting a traveller to take a small supply of opium
I
for consumption on board ship is still in force.
cannot agree that its rescission is necessary, or that
this would have the smallest effect in actual practice.
The Dangerous Drugs Act applies of course only to the
United Kingdom.
I am, etc.,
(SGT.) CLAUD SEVERN.
Colonial Secretary.