MINUTES.
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MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTE Your reference.55662/2.......
ON THIS SIDE.
P.O. reference. 164507/22.
Hemmunications should be addressed to
THE SECRETARY,
General Post Office.
Sir,
GENERAL POST OFFICE,
16
LONDON, E.C. 1.
C.O.
February, 1924.
7517
-
16 FEB 24
With reference to your letter of the 14th of December last, forwarding a copy of the Dangerous Drugs 23 Ordinance which has recently been enacted in Hong Kong,
I am directed by the Postmaster General to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the power to detain and open any postal article suspected to contain the prohibited drugs seems to go beyond the law in this country; but similar powers are taken from time to time in Dominion legislation and Colonial ordinances and presumably they are justified by local circumstances and policy.
It does not appear that objection can be taken to the application of Section 8 of the Ordinance to postal articles generally, i.e. inclusive of articles neither
originating in nor destined for Hong Kong.
Under Secretary of State,
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
COLONIAL OFFICE.
1
Frakes
8.L. Ashley
for the Secretary.