CO129-349 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [10-12] — Page 94

TIDENTIAL.

Hongkong.

My Lord,

43606

28.0V 38 90

Government House,

Hongkong, 27th.October, 1908.

elfort

25773

Hey

It is with the utmost regret that

I have despatched mail after mail without having been able

to supplement my Despatch of June 13th. on the subject of

the Restriction of Opium in this Colony. The question is,

however,

one of such magnitude (which has elsewhere in-

-volved the arduous labours of Commission after Commission

for months at a time) and the investigations which I have

instituted since receiving Your Lordship's telegram of May

5

6th. have been so thorough,

-ly recurring new factors,

and so prolonged by continual-

that I have been constantly

compelled to defer the final and complete expression of my

views. The preparation of the Annual Estimates has not

only caused an extra pressure of work, but the financial

situation disclosed by them has demonstrated the inability

of the Revenues to provide for any increased burden at the

present moment.

RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE EARL OF CREVE,

&c ...

800.

2.