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CORRESPONDENCE

RELATING TO THE

INTERNATIONAL OPIUM CONVENTION OF

JANUARY 23RD, 1912.

5392

No. 1.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNORS-GENERAL AND

(Canada. No. 157.)

GOVERNORS.

(Newfoundland. No. 39.)

(Union of South Africa. No. 105.) (Australia. No. 109.) (New Zealand. No. 69.)

[SIR], [MY LORD];

Downing Street, 6 March, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to transmit to [Your Royal Highness] [Your Excellency] [you], for the consideration of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a Con- vention for the gradual suppression of the abuse of opium and of morphine, cocaine, and similar drugs, which was signed at the Hague on the 23rd of January, together with copies of the Protocole de Clôture.

2. Your Ministers will observe that the Convention was signed by the British delegates subject to the reservation that if it was ratified by His Majesty's Govern- ment the Articles of the Convention would apply to British India, Ceylon, Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, and Weihaiwei, but that His Majesty's Government reserved the right to sign or to denounce the Convention separately for each Dominion, Colony, Dependency, or Protectorate of His Majesty other than those specified.

3. His Majesty's Government are very anxious that the Convention should apply to all His Majesty's Dominions, since any abstention might imperil the results which are aimed at. I trust, therefore, that your Ministers will find themselves able to recommend that the Convention should be signed on behalf of your Govern- ment and that I may be informed accordingly at an early date.

4. In that event, I should be glad if consideration could be given to the ques-

tion of what steps it will be necessary to take to give effect to the policy laid down in the Convention.

[To Australia only: 5. Your Ministers will no doubt make any necessary com- munications to the State Governments.]

2388

No. 2.

I have, &c..

1. HARCOURT.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNORS, &c.†

(Circular.)

SIR,

Downing Street; 7th March, 1912. You are no doubt aware that, on the invitation of the Netherlands Govern- ment, an International Conference, at which His Majesty's Government was repre- sented, was held recently at The Hague with a view to concerting measures for the gradual suppression of the abuse of opium, and of morphine, cocaine, and similar drugs.

• [Cd. 6038], February, 1912.

† All Crown Colonies and Protectorates (except Ceylon, Straits Settlements, Federated Malay States, Hong Kong, and Weihaiwei) and Cyprus,

3954 1

A

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O. 885

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