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of 1913, entitled "An Ordinance to give effect to the measures decided upon in the International Opium Convention signed at the Hague on the 23rd day of January, 1912, and to regulate the importation, exportation, storage, and disposal of opium, morphine, cocaine, and similar drugs in this Colony."

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to adhesion to the Opium Convention of 1912. I am to enclose also a copy of a despatch which, in view of this decision of the Union Government, Mr. Harcourt has addressed to the High Commissioner for South Africa, regarding the question of the adhesion of the South African Protectorates.

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JOSEPH J. NUNAN,

Attorney-General.

No. 185.

UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

2120

I am, &c.,

HENRY LAMBERT,

for the Under-Secretary of State.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

(No. 37.)

MY LORD,

Downing Street, 22nd January, 1914.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 907, of the 24th December last,* and to request you to inform your Ministers that His Majesty's Government have learned with much gratification of their decision to withdraw their objection to the application to the Union of South Africa of the Opium Convention of 1912.

1522

No. 186.

SOUTH AFRICA.

I have, &c.,

L. HARCOURT,

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

(No. 43.) MY LORD,

[See No. 193.]

Downing Street, 22nd January, 1914. WITH reference to your despatch, No. 711, of the 2nd December, 1912,† I have the honour to inform you that, in view of the fact that the Union Government have now consented to adhere to the Opium Convention, 1912, I consider that the Administrators of Northern and Southern Rhodesia should now be pressed to agree to the Convention being signed in respect of those territories, and I should be glad you would communicate with them accordingly. You should explain that although the adhesion or abstention of Northern and Southern Rhodesia may be regarded as a matter of small importance from the point of view of the international control of the trade in opium, morphia and cocaine, yet it would be advantageous from the point of view of the universality of agreement which is being aimed at.

if

2. I propose also, if you concur, to inform the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that the Convention may be signed on behalf of Basutoland, Swaziland, and the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

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SIR,

No. 187.

I have, &c.,

L. HARCOURT.

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.

Downing Street, 24th January, 1914.

WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 27th October last. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir E. Grey, a copy of a despatch* from the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, stating that Ministers have now withdrawn their objection

‡ No. 177.

• No. 181.

† No. 140.

No. 188.

ZANZIBAR.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE ACTING BRITISH AGENT AND CONSUL-GENERAL.

(No. 47.)

[See No. 192.]

Downing Street, 30th January, 1914.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to inform you that I have learnt from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that The Hague International Opium Convention,† a copy of which I enclose, has not yet been signed on behalf of the Government of Zanzibar. 2. In view of the terms of the Convention, and more particularly of Articles 13 and 23, it appears to me to be desirable that His Highness the Sultan should agree to the signature of the Convention on his behalf, and to the enactment of such legislation as may be considered necessary to comply with its terms, I therefore transmit to you a printed copy of a draft Ordinance submitted to me by the Govern- ment of the Gold Coast, together with a copy of my reply, in which I indicated certain amendments.

3. I should be glad if you would consider the question, and report to me, at an early date, what legislation will be necessary to carry out the terms of the Convention.

4. I may add that I have been advised that as opium is an indispensable drug in veterinary practice, there can be no objection to the provisions of the law being extended so as to permit veterinary surgeons to possess opium and dispense medicines containing it or its alkaloids.

I have, &c.,

36903

SIR,

No. 189.

L. HARCOURT.

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.

Downing Street, 31 January, 1914. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 7th November, 1913.§

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to request you to inform Secretary Sir E. Grey that the International Opium Convention may be signed on behalf of the Colony of British Honduras.

I am, &c.,

HENRY LAMBERT, for the Under-Secretary of State.

• No. 186. † [Cd. 6038.]

Enclosure in No. 28 and No. 68. § 36903: not printed.

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Reference :-

C.O. 885

22 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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