CO885-(21-23) — Page 342

14

8. There is no fixed date on which the Convention is to be brought into opera- tion, but under Article 23, after all the Powers have signed the Convention the Government of the Netherlands is to invite all the Powers to ratify the Convention, and as soon as all the ratifications have been received the date of the receipt of the last ratification is to be notified to all the Powers, and under Article 24 the Con- vention is to come into force three months after the last-mentioned date.

9. Under Article 24 the legislative measures are to be prepared not later than six months after the entry into force of the Convention, and laws are to be submitted to legislative bodies within the same period, or at the first session thereafter. The date on which the laws are to come into force is to form the subject of an agreement between the contracting Powers.

10. It looks, therefore, as if there would be ample time to communicate again with the Secretary of State before determining whether the question of adherence to the Convention shall be submitted to the Legislature or be determined by the Governor in Council.

Attorney-General's Office,

REGINALD GRAY,

Attorney-General.

15833

SIR,

15

No. 26.

BRITISH NORTH BORNEO COMPANY to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received May 23, 1912.)

[Answered by No. 29.]

37, Threadneedle Street, E.C., May 22nd, 1912. REFERRING to your letter, No. 2388/12, of the 7th March last,* and to my reply of the 11th idem.† I am instructed to inform you that the Court of Directors are now in a position to agree to the International Opium Convention being signed on behalf of the State.

I am, &c.,

HARINGTON G. FORBES,

Secretary.

15692

(No. 129.) SIR,

6 May, 1912.

No. 24,

GAMBIA.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received May 22, 1912.)

[Answered by No. 67,]

Illiasa, North Bank Province, 23rd April, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 7th ultimo, on the subject of the International Opium Convention, and in reply thereto I beg to inform you that my Government is prepared to agree to the Con- vention being signed on its behalf.

2. I am advised that it will be necessary to legislate in order to render effective the measures decided upon in the Convention. As it is probably desirable that uniformity should be observed in the legislation enacted by the different Colonies, I respectfully request I may be furnished with a copy of a draft Ordinance to meet

I have, &c.,

the case.

H. L. GALWAY, Governor and Commander-in-Chief.

16236

SIR.

No. 27.

SOUTHERN NIGERIA.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(No. 2-6.)

(Received May 27; 1912.)

[Answered by No. 67.]

Government House, Lagos,

Southern Nigeria, 8th May, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 7th March transmitting copy of the International Opium Convention which was signed at the Hague on the 23rd January last.

2. The question of the adherence of Southern Nigeria to the Convention has been discussed in Executive Council and this Government, desires that the Convention should be signed on its behalf. I forward a copy of a minute by the Attorney- General indicating the steps which will be taken without delay in order to render effective the measures decided upon in the Convention.

3. I am inclined to think that it will be advisable to pass a short enactment prohibiting the cultivation of the opium poppy in the territories under this Adminis tration, and I shall consult the Attorney-General further on this point. I have no doubt that the Egba Government would be willing to adopt the same restrictive

I have, &c.

measures.

D. C. CAMERON

14120

No. 25.

Deputy Governor.

SIR,

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.

[Answered by No. 30.]

WITH reference to your letter of the 6th May. I am directed by

Downing Street, 22 May, 1912. Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, for the information of Secretary Sir È. Grey, copies of correspondence on the subject of the adherence of Canada and Newfoundland to the Opium Convention.

2.

Mr. Harcourt will be glad to learn what reply should be returned to the despatch from His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught.

I am, &c.,

Enclosure in No. 27.

MINUTE by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, dated 30th April, 1912, to COLONIAL SECRETARY, COLONIAL SECRETARY,

I HAVE seen the Acting Principal Medical Officer and do not think any steps immediate are required beyond the prohibition of the importation of raw and pre- pared opium. The opium poppy does not grow here. Medicinal opium is dealt with under the Drugs Ordinance; I don't see what further steps we can take with regard

to it

for the Under-Secretary of State.

Draft Order put up.

30th April, 1912. .

HENRY LAMBERT,

A. R. PENNINGTON,

• No. 2.

† 13939: not printed.

Nos. 17 and 20.

• No. 3.

† 7584 qacknowledgment); not printed,

✰ No. 2.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

PELTI

Reference :-

C.O. 885

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO