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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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5. Clause 9 of the Bill under report is in accordance with paragraph 3 (2) of the Secretary of State's despatch, and in Clause 11 the words " not being or having the status of a ship of war" have been inserted as directed in paragraph 3 (1) of that despatch.

6. The concluding words of Clause 10 allow of the destruction of any opium poppy found growing. They are not in the Gold Coast Draft, and were added to strengthen Clause 9.

Clause 15 is not in the Gold Coast Draft, and has been added in accordance with the view expressed in paragraph 3 (3) of the Secretary of State's despatch.

8. When the Bill was in Committee the words " or ganga (Cannabis sativa) ” were inserted in Clauses 3, 9, and 10, on the strongly expressed wish of the Elected Members. Ganga is grown by the coolies and its use both by coolies and natives undoubtedly leads to acts of violence. It may be found necessary to deal with the matter by special legislation, and in that case the words inserted in Committee might be repealed, as they really form no proper part of the Bill under report.

The Honourable

the Colonial Secretary, Kingston.

35059

SIR,

No. 172.

I have, &c.,

E. ST. JOHN BRANCH,

Attorney-General.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received 10 October, 1913.)

[Answered by No. 177.]

Foreign Office, October 9, 1913.

I AM directed by Secretary Sir E. Grey to transmit to you, herewith, for the early consideration of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, copy of a despatch from Sir W. J. Collins and Mr. Max Müller, delegates of His Majesty's Government at the recent International Opium Conference, in which they draw attention to the importance of securing the adhesion to the Opium Convention of those Colonies who have not yet become parties to it.

Sir E. Grey entirely concurs in the views expressed by the delegates, especially with regard to the adhesion of the Union of South Africa, and he would be glad to receive Mr. Harcourt's observations on the matter.

A copy of the delegates' letter will be sent to Lord Kitchener, who will be requested to furnish his views concerning the adhesion of Egypt to the Convention.

I am, &c..

W. LANGLEY.

SIR,

Enclosure in No. 172.

London, September 20th, 1913.

IN our report on the proceedings and results of the Second Opium Conference we refer to the refusal or failure of certain of the Dominions, Colonies, Depend- encies, and Protectorates of His Majesty to adhere to the Opium Convention of January 23rd, 1912.

We did not think it suitable, in a report intended for publication, to enter at length into the reasons for which we consider it desirable that another attempt should be made to induce those Colonies to adhere, but the matter appears to us to be of sufficient importance to justify us in addressing you separately on the subject. According to the list enclosed in your despatch of the June 30th, the following are the Colonies which have not hitherto adhered to the Convention: The Union of South Africa, Bechuanaland Protectorate, Swaziland, Basutoland, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Barbados, Bermuda, Bahamas, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, British Honduras, British Guiana, and Mauritius.

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The adhesion or abstention of Bechuanaland, Swaziland, Basutoland, Northern Rhodesia, and Southern Rhodesia, and perhaps we may say, also of Mauritius, may be regarded as a matter of small importance from the point of view of the inter- national control of the trade in opium, morphia and cocaine, though from the point of view of the universality of agreement at which we are aiming it might be advantageous to be in a position to announce the unanimous adhesion of the British Empire. In regard, however, to the other Colonies mentioned in the list, the case is by no means the same.

It will be remembered that we have all through the negotiations laid stress on the necessity of general, if not universal, co-operation of the civilised nations, if the contemplated measures for checking the illicit trade in opium, morphia, and cocaine are to be made really effective. Even leaving out of the question, in the case of these Colonies, the possibility of the establishment in their territories of chemical works for the manufacture of the drugs,--though in the case of the Union of South Africa this is clearly a possibility, there is the other argument, which we have so often employed, to be considered, namely, that countries not bound by the Convention would be open to the unrestricted importation of the drugs, and that their ports could be freely made use of for the illicit transhipment of the drugs to destinations in countries which have signed the Convention, thus defeating one of its principal objects.

This applies especially to the Union of South Africa, with its large and busy ports on the route to the Far East; but it also applies in a lesser degree to the islands of the West Indies and to our possessions in Central and Southern America in regard to the possibility of using their ports for the transmission of the drugs to the countries of the western hemisphere. We have, however, been given to under- stand that these latter Colonies intend to adhere, and are merely waiting to do so until they shall have passed the necessary legislation. We need only refer to what has been repeatedly said at the conference and in our report, that the fact that a Government has not enacted the legislation contemplated by the provisions of the Convention forms no bar to immediate signature, and we hope that the same arguments as were to be used to the Governments of Austria-Hungary, Norway, and Sweden, may be employed in inducing those Colonies to adhere at once.

The Government of the Union of South Africa have, in spite of the reiterated request of His Majesty's Government, expressed their regret that they cannot become a party to the Convention, on the ground that they could not undertake to introduce the legislation necessary to give effect to the Convention within the period of time fixed by the provisions of the Convention.

We consider that, for the reason stated above, the adhesion of the Union of South Africa to the Convention is of the utmost importance, and that it would be difficult satisfactorily to defend its abstention before the next Conference.

We hope that this point of view may be explained to the Union Government, and that another effort may be made to induce them to reconsider their decision and to authorise the signature of the Convention on their behalf. It might be pointed out to them that a considerable time is still likely to elapse before the question of the enforcement of new legislation has to be considered. In any case, even if they do not deem it practicable to embody every provision of the Convention in their legislation, they might at all events elaborate laws for the strict control of the importation and exportation of opium, morphia, and cocaine.

We desire, further, to draw your attention to the position of Egypt in regard to the Opium Convention. In view of the position of its ports lying on the direct route to the Far East, it is obviously a matter of importance that Egypt should be made a party to the Opium Convention, and this importance will become all the greater should the provisions of the Convention be extended later to cover the trade in Indian hemp. We venture, therefore, to express the hope that the necessary steps may be taken to secure the adhesion of the Egyptian Government to the terms of the Opium Convention.

We have, &e..

The Right Honourable

Sir Edward Grey, Bart., K.G.,

&c., &c.

&c.,

W. G. Max MÜLLER. WILLIAM J. COLLINS.

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