CO129-365 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1910 [1-3] — Page 559

C

10 P Y.

I.

551

1, Des Voeux Road,

Hongkong, 26th, February, 1910.

0.0.

Dear Sir,

New Opium Farm.

12483

RECO REG? 28 APR 10

We are in receipt of your letter enclosing

draft Brant and Mortgage.

As regards the provisces in the Grant

providing for a reduction of rent or surrender on the restrict-

-ion or prohibition of the export of raw opium from India and

particularly regarding the use of the word "may" in the first

proviso and the concluding stipulation of the draft, we are

instructed to say that our clients are not without some serious

apprehension of being affected in the future by the action of

the Indian Government regarding restriction or prohibition,

especially if such action goes further, as is not without the

bounds of probability, than at present appears to be contemplat-

-ed.

We are accordingly requested to ask for the

assusrance of the Government that, in the event of any future

rëstriction or prohibition by the Indian Government whereby our

clients are affected to their prejudice, the Government will

carry out the spirit as well as the letter of the two provisoes

and will make such reduction in the rent as may be commensurate

with the prejudice sustained by our clients owing to any

restriction on exportation and will if it is desired cancel the

Grant if owing to prohibition our clients are unable to procure

aufficient opium for boiling, at such price as enable them to

carry on the Farm without serious loss.

We should add that the price of raw opium

is at present rushing up in an unprecedented fashion, a factor,

which greatly increases our clients apprehension for the future, news having been received that the Indian Government is going to

restrict