CO885-(21-23) — Page 362

SIR,

(No. F. 34/12.)

54

Enclosure 2 in No. 86.

Resident's Office, Sarawak, 19th April, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 453/1912, of the 14th instant, forwarding a copy of the International Opium Convention, and to inform Your Excellency I have not the authority to consent to the Convention being signed on behalf of His Highness the Rajah.

I have, &c.,

His Excellency

the British Agent for Sarawak,

Government House, Singapore.

(S. of S. 453/1912.)

YOUR HIGHNESS,

IVONE KIRKPatrick-CaldeCOT, Officer Administering the Government.

Enclosure 3 in No. 86.

Government House. Singapore, 20th June, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to refer you to my letter of 14th April addressed to the Officer Administering the Government of Sarawak on the subject of the International Opium Convention, and to enquire whether Your Highness will consent to the Con- vention being signed on behalf of the Sarawak Government.

His Highness

the Rajah of Sarawak,

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Kuching, Sarawak.

I have, &c.,

ARTHUR YOUNG, British Agent for North Borneo and Sarawak.

Enclosure 4 in No. 86.

The Astana, Kuching, Sarawak, 28th June, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge Your Excellency's despatch referring to the Opium Convention. I would prefer not to sign it or bind myself to any agree- ments, and would leave the matter to be dealt with by those who are more able to form an opinion than myself.

I have, &c.,

C. BROOKE,

Rajah.

55

2. I have the honour to report that in March, 1911, Sir Henry May, soon after his arrival in the Colony, caused inquiry to be made as to the use of opium in these islands, and particularly in regard to its use by others than East Indians. The inquiry has shown that there has been a steady decrease in the quantity of opium imported during the last six years, viz., from 701 lbs. in 1906 to 458 in 1911; and that there was no ground for believing that there was any systematic smuggling of opium into the Colony. That, while the majority of persons who regularly purchase opium were East Indians and Chinamen, there was a small proportion of Fijians, Samoans, and half-caste persons who were addicted to the opium habit. The question of introducing legislation to extend the restrictions against the sale of opium further than is provided by Ordinance XVII. of 1910 was considered by the Governor-in- Council on the 9th August last, and the advice tendered was to the effect that, in view of the usual and habitual consumption of opium by East Indians and China- men, it would be advisable to avoid, for the present, the enactment of legislation for the further restriction of the consumption of opium. Sir Henry May caused further inquiry to be made on the subject of opium importation and consumption, and he came to the conclusion on the 7th March last that, unless fresh legislation imposed additional restrictive measures of general application to all sections of the com- munity, they would be of little value. He decided not to introduce legislation immediately on the subject, but issued orders that a strict watch was to be kept for any increase in the opium habit on the part of the non-East Indian section of the community, and particularly among the native Fijians. He called for further reports on the subject to be rendered in September next.

3. On the receipt of your Circular despatch under acknowledgment, Sir Henry May recorded on the papers his opinion that the Convention should be adhered to by the Colony. On the consideration of the question in Executive Council on the 24th ultimo it was advised that in view of the large East Indian population in the Colony, which is the only section of the community that consumes opium to any extent, inquiry should be made as to the action proposed to be taken by the Govern- ment of India in regard to the Convention, and that if that Government proposed to adhere to the Convention, information shall be sought as to the steps proposed to be taken to give effect to Articles 6 and 9 thereof. This enquiry was made direct to the Indian Government on the 8th instant.

4. In view of the request made by you for an early reply to your Circular despatch, I report to you without delay the action taken thereon.

24861

I have, &c.,

EYRE HUTSON,

Deputy Governor.

No. 88.

His Excellency,

British Agent for North Borneo

and Sarawak, Singapore.

24627

No. 87.

FIJI.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

WINDWARD ISLANDS (ST. VINCENT).

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 7 August, 1912.)

(St. Vincent. No. 79.)

Grenada, 12th July, 1912. Submitted with reference to your Circular despatch of the 16th May last.*

J. HAYES SADLER,

Governor.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TELCO 885

بلنسيا

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

SIR,

(No. 190.)

(Received 6 August, 1912.)

[Answered by No. 111.]

Government House, Suva, 19th June, 1912.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular despatch of the 7th March last* on the subject of the International Opium Convention, and in which you intimated that, unless the Governor had any strong objections to urge, you hoped to be informed at an early date that the Government of Fiji is prepared to agree to the Convention being signed on its behalf.

• No. 2.

SIR,

(Saint Vincent. No. 83.)

Government House, St. Vincent, 6th July, 1912.

WITH reference to the correspondence noted in the margin and to the Secre-

Secretary of State's Circular despatch of 7th

tary of State's Circular despatch of the March, 19912.

16th May last respecting the International Administrator, St. Vincent, to Governor, Opium Convention signed at the Hague on Windward Islands, No. 17, of 13th April, 1912.

the 23rd January last, I have the honour to forward for transmission to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies the accompanying copies of The Sale of Poisons Ordinance, 1908.†

† Not reprinted.

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• No. 18.

As the