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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

mminonim C.O.882/11

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-|

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

C. 863/26.

**SIR.

160

No. 111.

COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE.

Downing Street, 13th January, 1926.

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Amery to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th of January, transmitting the draft of a telegram proposed to be despatched to the Government of India in regard to the policy of that Government as to the supply of Indian opium for the purpose of smoking.

Mr. Amery does not feel it within his competence to object officially to the Government of India adopting a policy of restriction of exports for political reasons, notwithstanding the sacrifice of revenue in which it would involve them.

At the same time I am to state that Mr. Amery feels bound to refuse to allow the Governments of the Far Eastern Colonies and Dependencies which have hitherto drawn their supplies of opium from India, to be compelled, by any action which the Govern- ment of India may take, to depart from measures which they have adopted for carrying out gradual restriction of consumption, in accordance with the conclusions of the recent International Conference at Geneva, and the exigencies of their own local situation, especially as they have recently shown so strong a desire to advance as fast as safety permits.

In acquainting those Governments with the policy which is now under considera- tion by the Government of India, Mr. Amery proposes, therefore, to inform them that they will be at liberty to supplement restricted supplies from India by drawing from other sources such opium as they may require during the transitional period, so far as this may be consistent with the International stipulations to which they have already agreed and with their own laws and the laws of the country from which their supplies would be drawn.

Mr. Amery understands that this action will be in accordance with what was agreed to at the Interdepartmental Conference which was held at the India Office on the 6th of January.

I am, &c.,

C. 863/26.

No. 112.

[1] HONG KONG,

[2] STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR

(Confidential.)

[Answered by [1] No. 88.]

G. GRINDLE

SIR,

Downing Street, 25th January, 1926. WITH reference to my Confidential despatch of the 11th of November,† trans- mitting copy of a despatch to the Government of India in regard to the supply of Indian opium to French Indo-China, I have the honour to transmit to you the accom- panying copies of further correspondence with the India Office, which has arisen out of the reply of the Government of India to that despatch.

You will observe that the Government of India have under consideration the question whether they will adopt the policy of progressively reducing their exports of opium to territories in the Far East where opium smoking is still permitted, so as to extinguish such exports within a definite period.

You will observe from the letter of the 13th of January,§ which I have caused to be addressed to the India Office, that I have made it clear that I cannot agree to the Governments of the Far Eastern Colonies, in carrying out the measures which have been adopted to give effect 'to their international obligations, being embarrassed by the adoption by the Government of India of the policy now under consideration.

* No. 110.

† 44563/25: not printed.

‡ Nos. 108, 110 and 111..

§ No. 111.

161

Your Government will accordingly be at liberty, if the necessity should arise, to supplement restricted supplies from India by drawing from other sources such opium as it may require during the transitional period, so far as this may be consistent with the International stipulations to which your Government has already agreed, and with the laws of the Colony and the laws of the country from which supplies may be drawn.

I have, &c.,

No. 113.

L. S. AMERY.

EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH MADE BY LORD READING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF STATE, 9тH FEBRUARY, 1926.

POLICY REGARDING OPIUM,

My Government have recently had under their consideration the adoption of a new policy regarding opium, which is in accordance with the trend of opinion in a number of other countries and also with the views that have been freely expressed in some quarters on different occasions in India. We have very carefully examined the new obligations undertaken by us under Article 1 of the protocol to the Convention of the Second Opium Conference at Geneva to take such measures as may be required to prevent completely, within five years from the present date, the smuggling of opium from constituting a serious obstacle to the effective suppression of the use of prepared opium.

As a result, we have come to the conclusion that, to fulfil our international obliga- tions in the largest measure, and to obviate complications that may arise from the delicate and invidious task of attempting to sit in judgment on the internal policy of other Governments, it is desirable we should declare publicly our intention to reduce progressively the exports of opium from India, so as to extinguish them altogether within a definite period, except as regards the exports of opium for strictly medical purposes. The period to he fixed has not yet been finally determined, as, before arriving at a decision, it is necessary to consult the Government of the United Provinces regarding the effects that the resulting reduction in the area cultivated with opium will have on the cultivators in that province.

We further propose to discontinue altogether the system of auction sales of opium in India as soon as the agreement for direct sales now being negotiated with the Govern- My Government hope at an early date to ment of French Indo-China is concluded

move a resolution in both Chambers of the Legislature in order to give the members of the Legislature an opportunity of expressing their views on these important proposals.

C. 14188/26 [No. 2].

No. 114.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.

(Sent 1.10 p.m., 20th July, 1926.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 115.]

CONFIDENTIAL. I have learnt through India Office that 500 chests Persian opium are being imported by M. A. Nemazi on certificate issued by Superintendent. If person named same as former Municipal Commissioner he was implicated in 1923 in smuggling transaction Indo-China. Telegraph particulars as to family and business relationship with H. M. H. Nemazi of Hong Kong who, as well as other members of family, has for years been engaged in illicit traffic, and has consequently been refused licence under Hong Kong Ordinance. Telegraph also particulars of arrangement made with person named and what is known of his connexion with opium trade.-AMERY.

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