583
2
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
2
average amount of consumption, and though there are variations, sometimes considerable variations, in particular cases, it ought to be possible to make allowance for this.
(5) The position should be generally reviewed periodically by the Powers concerned, and the question of further reducing the ration should be considered. If we could get an agreement on these lines between the Powers concerned that they would adopt these measures and would limit their imports accordingly, we should, at any rate, have a much more defensible position than we have now, and we should get rid of a great deal of our trouble with Formosa and Macao.
There will be difficulties no doubt in giving effect to these suggestions, but your experts from Hong Kong and the Malay States think them practicable, and no other suggestions have so far been put forward. I shall be glad to know as soon as possible whether the Colonial Office agree generally, so that I may circulate them to the members of the Advisory Committee as suggestions for consideration, and I shall also be glad to have as soon as possible the memorandum about Hong Kong. You will probably wish to have a conference to discuss these suggestions, and if so, the sooner the better.
Yours sincerely,
21523/23.
No. 2.
MALCOLM DELEVINGNE.
SIR G. GRINDLE (COLONIAL OFFICE) to SIR M. DELEVINGNE (HOME OFFICE). DEAR DELEVINGNE,
Downing Street, 3rd May, 1923. Your letter of the 28th of April* about opium. I understand that Paskin has now sent you a memorandum dealing fully with Hong Kong's requirements. He was quite prepared, if you wished, to draft a memorandum for circulation to the members of the Advisory Committee, but we thought that you would be a much better judge of the form this memorandum should take, and of what to include, &c.
To deal now with your proposals for a more uniform and effective application of the provisions of Part 2 of the Opium Convention.
(1) The substitution of Government Monopolies for the farm system is already
our settled policy.
(2) We also accept this proposal. The policy of replacing private by Govern- ment shops, in order to take the sale of chandu out of the hands of persons financially interested in fostering the trade, has already been adopted by the Federated Malay States. Government retail shops have been estab- lished in various centres, and others are being opened as rapidly as possible
licences of other Wherever Government shops are established the "off
shops are not renewed on expiry. We agree that an extension of this practice to all our Far Eastern Colonies, with the object of completely eliminating the private trader, would be desirable, and I should think that there will not be very much difficulty in persuading other Governments
to agree.
(3) We agree in principle to the desirability of a policy of registration of consumers. But this agreement must be qualified by the reservation that we could not commit ourselves to the adoption of such a system in places where local conditions are not suitable. In Hong Kong, for example, where there is a constant stream of Chinese (most of whom are opium smokers) passing to and fro between the Colony and the neighbouring parts of China, it is certain that a system of registration could not possibly be effective, and to attempt it in existing circumstances would be a mistake. We know that this is Stubbs's view, and in his report on his visit to Bangkok (paragraph 12) McEldery says:-" While the production of opium in China continues on anything like the present scale, any attempt in Hong Kong to register smokers and limit supplies and to prevent unregistered persons from smoking would clearly be futile."
We feel that it is impossible for us not to accept opinions so strongly expressed by the people on the spot, who are in a so much better position than we are to judge what is and what is not possible. It is therefore, I think, clear that we cannot commit ourselves to a policy of registration
* No. 1.
+7460/23: not printed.
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in Hong Kong until conditions in Kwangtung are such as to ensure a reasonable prospect of success for the system in the Colony.
Conditions in Malaya and Borneo are, however, different, and more nearly approximate to those in the Dutch East Indies, where a system of registration is already in force. The Committee which was appointed in the Federated Malay States in 1919 drew up a scheme for registration and rationing which they regarded as practicable, though they were of opinion that it would need very costly machinery. We agree, however, that the time has now come for the Malayan Governments to introduce a system on these lines, and we are also prepared, if the Advisory Com- mittee recommend it, to ask the Governments of North Borneo and Sarawak to adopt the same policy. The details of any such scheme would, however, have to be worked out locally, having regard to the local conditions.
(4) Agreed; though in places where registration is not possible, the amount of opium allowed to be imported will have to be based on an estimate of the number of consumers. We have already practically agreed to the regulation by the Advisory Committee, of the supplies to be drawn by Hong Kong, and I should not really be surprised if the legitimate require- ments of that Colony, based on a normal ration per head of the estimated number of consumers, did not work out at more than the quantity for which the Colony is asking.
(5) Agreed.
Paskin is sending a copy of this letter to Smith, for any observations he may have to offer.
21523/23.
No. 3.
HONG KONG.
Yours sincerely,
G. GRINDLE.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
(Sent 3.44 p.m., 5th May, 1923.)
TELEGRAM
[Answered by Nos. 4 and 6.]
MEASURES for more effective application Part 2 Opium Convention will be con-
sidered by League Committee, 24th May.
It is considered very desirable, if possible, to establish for Far Eastern Possessions all Powers, definite scheme determine and restrict amount of opium used for smoking. British Government considering proposals for agreement between interested Powers on following lines:-
(1) entire opium business including retail sale to be Government monopoly; (2) registration and licensing opium smokers, licences to specify daily quantity
allowed and shop at which it must be purchased;
(3) establishment of a normal daily ration in first instance on basis of actual experience in Far Eastern Possessions, but subject to periodical review. Registration considered keystone of scheme. It is certain that other Powers would not agree unless British Representative in a position to undertake adoption by British Colonies in event of general agreement. I am aware you feel great difficulty as to possibility of registration in Hong Kong owing to floating nature of large portion of population. Do you anticipate very serious difficulties if registration were confined to bona fide residents in Colony, no provision being made for passing visitors or temporary residents, or can you suggest other practicable scheme. Adoption of scheme in Hong Kong to be conditional on definite agreement, all Powers concerned, exclud- ing China. It should be borne in mind that at present there is no limit on sales in Hong Kong other than extent of demand and high price. This situation is open to serious criticism. Matter is urgent.-DEVONSHIRE.
73564/19: not printed.