CO129-349 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [10-12] — Page 470

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164

Government House,

Hongkong, 2nd. December, 1908

sir,

With reference to your despatch No. 138 of the

12th.of last October and to previous correspondence on the

subject of the smuggling of prepared opium from China into

Hongkong, I have the honour to inform you that, since the

7th. of last September, which is the latest date appearing

in the return enclosed in my despatch No. 128 of the 17th. idem there has been no decrease at all insuch smuggling and

that there have been no less than 73 convictions between

that date and the 28th. of November, the largest quantity

of prepared opium seized on one person at one time being

6.9 taels smuggled from Canton.

2. I am therefore unable to believe that any serious

attempt has been made to observe the pledges given to this

Government before Ordinance No. 13 of 1908 was passed, and

I propose to forward a copy of this correspondence to His

Majesty's Minister at Peking with the request that His

Excellency will make a protest against the inaction of the

Chinese authorities in this matter.

3. I shall be obliged if you will again make such

representations to the Governor General of the Two Kwong

Provinces on the subject.

I have, &c.

(Sgd) F. D. LUGARD,

Governor,&C.

His Britamic Majesty's Acting Consul General,

CANTON.