27396
81
No. 110.
TRINIDAD.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE ACTING GOVERNOR.
(No. 324.) SIR,
Downing Street, 23rd September, 1912.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 340, of the 19th of August,* reporting that the Government of Trinidad is prepared to agree to the Opium Convention being signed on its behalf.
2. With reference to the last paragraph of my despatch, Miscellaneous, of the 30th of July. I have now to transmit to you the accompanying printed copy of a despatch from the Governor of the Gold Coast, enclosing a draft Ordinance designed to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. I have approved the draft with the following amendments :-
(1) After the word "ship" in Section 11, the words "not being or having
the status of a ship of war" should be inserted
(2) A section should be added prohibiting the cultivation of the opium poppy
(Papaver somniferum).
(3) A section should be added, in view of Article 24 of the Convention, pro- viding that the Ordinance should come into force on a date to be fixed by proclamation of the Governor in Council.
3. I shall be glad if you will introduce the draft Ordinance, with any neces sary alterations (e.g., the titles of the magistrates) to suit local circumstances, into the Legislature at an early date.
25518
No. 109.
BERMUDA.
I have, &c.,
L. HARCOURT.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street, 24th September, 1912.
(No. 75.) SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 85, of the 2nd of August,§ with regard to the International Opium Convention.
2. I observe that Lieutenant-Colonel Brook-Smith, in his despatch, No. 35, of the 12th of April, requested to be furnished with copies of legal enactments which might serve as a guide for local legislation, and I now enclose a printed copy of a despatch from the Governor of the Gold Coast transmitting a draft ordinance designed to carry out the provisions of the Convention, together with a copy of my reply. T
3. If you have decided to ask the Legislature, as suggested in my despatch, No. 51, of the 28th of June.** to pass an Act to come into force on a day to be pro- claimed by the Governor in Council, I should be glad if you would bring the enclosed draft, with the amendments indicated in my despatch to the Governor of the Gold Coast, before the Legislature.
4. I regret that the Attorney-General did not advise the Acting Governor that legislation would be necessary, either on the receipt of the minute of the 20th of March or when the matter was discussed in Executive Council in his presence.
I have, &c.,
L. HARCOURT.
UNION OF SOUTH
AFRICA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE ACTING GOVERNOR-GENERAL.
(No. 442.)
MY LORD,
[Answered by No. 133.]
Downing Street, 25 September, 1912.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 544, of the 12th of August,* forwarding a minute from your Ministers, in which they express their regret that they are unable to recommend that the International Opium Convention should be signed on behalf of the Government of the Union of South Africa.
2. I do not gather that your Ministers have any objection to the signature of the Convention other than the difficulty of guaranteeing the introduction of legislation to remedy the deficiencies of the existing Provincial laws.
3. I would, therefore, ask that the following observations should be considered. Under Article 23 the Convention will not be ratified unless all the Powers invited have signed the Convention or the Protocol by the 31st of December, 1912, or unless, after that, it is decided that ratification should take place in the absence of some signatures. The Convention will not come into force until three months after the date on which the Netherlands Government has notified the receipt of the last instrument of ratification. If, therefore, the Convention were ratified early in January next, it would not come into force at the earliest until some time in April, 1913.
4. The legislation contemplated by Article 24 is to be prepared within six months following, that is, at the earliest, by some date in October, 1913, and may be submitted to Parliament at the first session after the expiration of the six months.
5. On the assumption that the Convention will come into force at the earliest possible date, of which I have some doubt, your Government would have practically a year from the present date in which to consider and prepare such legislation as may be necessary, and I trust that the state of Parliamentary business would admit of the passing of a Bill on this subject.
6. His Majesty's Government would greatly regret the abstention of any part of His Majesty's dominions from the Convention, and I earnestly trust that on further consideration your Government will feel able to agree to its signature on behalf of the Union.
24627
SIR,
No. 111.
FIJI.
I have, &c.,
L. HARCOURT.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
(Miscellaneous.)
Downing Street, 4th October, 1912. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Hutson's despatch, No. 190, of the 19th June,† on the subject of the International Opium Convention.
2. In paragraph 3 of his despatch, Mr. Hutson states that action on the part of Fiji has been deferred in order that enquiry might be made as to the action which the Government of India proposed to take in regard to the Convention. You will, however, observe that the British Delegates signed the Convention on behalf of British India, and that the Government of India will accordingly be bound by its provisions as soon as it comes into force.
3. I should therefore be glad if your Government would definitely signify its willingness that the Convention should be signed on behalf of Fiji, and if you would take steps to ensure the passing of legislation to give effect to its provisions. In
• No. 101.
† No. 82.
‡ No. 28.
1 No. 6.
§ No. 93.
** No. 48.
No. 12.
33541
• No. 99.
↑ No. 87.
F
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
وا
Reference :-
Hmmm C.O. 885
22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO