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The CHAIRMAN explained that the Opium Convention of 1912 provided for the entire sup- pression of opium for smoking, but the application of this stipulation was to be suspended in countries which could not suppress it at once.
M. CHAO-HSIN CHU (China) asked if prepared opium included opium for chewing. The CHAIRMAN answered that it only meant opium for smoking
M. CHAO-HSIN CHU (China) pointed out that the use of prepared opium was illegal in China.
9. Communication from the Medical Secretary of the Health Section (Document Q. C. 66).
The CHAIRMAN, referring to the letter from the Medical Secretary (Document O. C, 66), asked if the Committee agreed that it should establish a joint sub-committee with the Health Com- mittee or whether it should postpone the question until its next session, when information had been received from the Governments as to their requirements of the drugs.
The SECRETARY thought that the sub-committee should be constituted at once in order to be able to start work as soon as information became available.
The Committee decided that Doctor Anselmino and Mr. Campbell would sit on the sub-committee if its appointment were approved by the Council.
Dr. MIYAJIMA pointed out that the Health Committee had in view the appointment of three members from the Opium Committee.
The SECRETARY said that the Medical Director's letter only referred to the constitution of the mixed Committee.
The CHAIRMAN asked how the expense of the Sub-Committee would be covered.
The SECRETARY suggested that it might be charged equally to the two Sections, Health and Opium, but she would consult the Secretariat.
10. Draft Report of the Chairman (Document O. C. 68).
The CHAIRMAN read his draft report on the reference to the Committee from the Council, and asked the members whether they wished to suggest any amendments to it.
M. CHAO-HSIN CHU (China) stated that he thought that the Committee had decided at its previous meeting that the number of representatives of the Anti-Opium Association who would accompany the commissions of enquiry would be decided in Peking between the Chinese Govern- ment and the Association, as a single member of the Association would not himself alone be able to accompany the Commissions of Enquiry.
The CHAIRMAN replied that he had understood that the Committee wished to have the point mentioned.
M. CHAO-HSIN CHU said that he personally agreed with the Chairman, but that he had consulted the Chinese Member on the Council of the League, who was of the opinion that the number of the members of the Commission should be left aside, and that the Council resolution should be adopted en bloc without adding this report. But, personally, M. Chao-Hsin Chu would be willing to do his best to induce the Chinese Member on the Council to withdraw his objection.
The CHAIRMAN thanked M. Chao-Hsin Chu and said that this report would be published as a supplement to the previous report.
On M. CHAO-HSIN CHU's proposal, the words "this year provinces as was done this year
in the sentence were altered to "last season."
"in the different
On Sir John JORDAN's proposal, seconded by M. CHAO-HSIN CHU, the following words were added after "than was forthcoming this year": "to include on the Commission of Investigation representatives of organisations such as chambers of commerce and educational associations; and
etc."
The report, as amended above, was adopted by the Committee,
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II. Draft Resolution submitted by Mr. Campbell (Document O. C. 68).
Mr. CAMPBELL (India) read his draft resolution.
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After an exchange of views, the Committee decided, on the CHAIRMAN's proposal, to suppress the sentence starting with "Owing to the fact" down to "outside producing countries", and to delete the opening sentence of the new paragraph" In these circumstances" as well as the sentence in the same paragraph which runs "which import raw opium (either for consumption as such or as prepared opium, or as the raw material for the manufacture of opium) ".
The resolution, as amended above, was adopted by the Committee.
It was decided that the Committee's report to the Council should consist of the Chairman's report, Mr. Campbell's resolution and the recommendation to appoint a sub-committee consist- ing of members of the Health and Opium Committees to deal with such medical questions as might be referred to it by the Opium Advisory Committee.
12. Letter from the Canadian Government (Document O. C. 59).
The CHAIRMAN said that this letter did not raise any discussion, as it was a mere explanation of what the Canadian Government meant by "collecting statistics on stocks in trade."
13.
Letter from the Secretary of the Society for the Suppression of the Opium Trade
(Document O. C. 62 a),
Sir John JORDAN called the attention of the Committee to the importance of this letter, which had been circulated to the members of the Committee. He asked if it might be considered and discussed by the Committee, though not figuring on the agenda, as he had a similar com- munication from the International Anti-Opium Association in Peking.
This was agreed to.
Sir John JORDAN said that the increase requested by the Government of Hongkong in the supply of opium by the Indian Government would mean doubling the amount of opium sent from India to Hongkong and increasing the consumption of opium by Chinese in Hongkong, which would produce a bad effect in China. He hoped that the Indian Government would not deliver the consignment, as the present import of opium to Hongkong (122 chests a year) was quite suffi- cient for the requirements of the Colony.
The Japanese Government had been asked what were its opium requirements for Kiaochao, and, after careful examination of the question, it had replied that 37 chests were sufficient. As the population of Kiaochao is 200,000 inhabitants and that of Hongkong 600,000, 120 chests would be sufficient to meet the need of Hongkong. The great difficulty was the financial question. The Eastern Colonies needed the revenues they drew from opium in order to balance their budget. But this should not be a reason for increasing the import of opium to Hongkong. All the colonies, The Com- including the British Colonies, received opium in excess of their actual requirements. mittee should prevent the Eastern Colonies from importing as much opium as they were pleased to indent for and not to allow a quantity in excess of their actual requirements. There would be a grave danger in allowing an increase of the amount supplied.
M. CHAO-HSIN CHU (China) supported Sir John Jordan's statements. Being a Cantonese, he knew the question quite well.
The delivery of opium to Hongkong was excessive, the preparation of opium for smoking being allowed in Hongkong,
He was of the opinion that the policy of the Hongkong Government in establishing a monopoly for opium certainly meant the suppression of opium and not an increase of revenue for the State.
The CHAIRMAN said that he was prepared to deal with the question of the increase if the Committee desired to go into it, but he asked whether it had the data at present to enable to form a judgment on the question. He had been considering whether it might be possible to arrive at an agreed figure of what was a reasonable consumption of prepared opium in the places where it was allowed. He was aware there were great difficulties in the way, and the con- very sumption differed to some extent according to the character of the population. It would be desirable, however, to obtain such a figure if possible.
He might say that the increase requested by the Hongkong Government did not represent an increase in consumption, and was explained by the fact that up till now it had been drawing on its reserves.
Sir John JORDAN was of the opinion that the import of opium should be rationed in the Far East. British Colonies made money through the opium monopoly and that was a tempta- tion for the Chinese Government to do the same. It would be necessary that an agreement should be concluded on the question between the various Powers in the Far East.