CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 191

This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

C 14857

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[11519]

No. 1.

Rece

[March 29.]

8 MY

SECTION 3.

Sir,

Colonial Office to Foreign Office.--(Received March 29.)

Downing Street, March 28, 1911.

I AM directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the consideration of Secretary Sir E. Grey, copy of a despatch from the Governor- General of Canada on the subject of a Bill before the Canadian Parliament to prohibit the improper use of opium and other drugs.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1.

I am, &c,

C. P. LUCAS.

Sir,

Governor-General Earl Grey to Mr. Harcourt.

Government House, Ottawa, March 8, 1911.

I HAVE the honour to forward herewith, for transmission to the Foreign Office, copies of an approved minute of His Majesty's Privy Council for Canada submitting copies of a Bill, No. 97, now before Parliament, intituled, "An Act to Prohibit the Improper Use of Opium and other Drugs."

It is desired to draw Sir Edward Grey's attention to the remarks of the Minister of Labour on the second reading of the Bill, regarding the international aspect of the question with which the measure deals.

I have, &c.

GREY.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1.

Certified Copy of a Report of the Committee of the Privy Council, approved by the Governor-General on March 3, 1911.

THE Committee of the Privy Council have had before them a report, dated the 20th February, 1911, from the Secretary of State for External Affairs, submitting copies of Bill No. 97, now before Parliament, intituled, "An Act to Prohibit the Improper Use of Opium and other Drugs," together with copies of the official report of the House of Commons debates on this Bill.

"House of

The committee, on the recommendation of the Secretary of State for External Affairs, advise that your Excellency may he pleased to forward the above-mentioned papers to the Right Honourable the Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies for transmission to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with the request that Sir Edward Grey's attention may be invited to the remarks of the Minister of Labour on the second reading of this Bill on the 26th January, 1911, relative to the international aspect of the question with which the measure deals (see column 2574 of the Commons Debates", in which it is pointed out that the present Bill seeks to give effect, in so far as Canada is concerned, to the resolutions of the International Opium Com- mission of 1909, in Shanghai, and also to the fact that the adoption of this legislation will give effect, in so far as Canada is concerned, to a proposal which His Majesty's Government has made, according to press despatches, for consideration by the Opium Conference at The Hague in May 1911, for the imposition of restrictions upon the sale of morphine and of cocaine.

All which is respectfully submitted for approval.

RODOLPHE BOUDREAU,

[1930 --3]

Clerk of the Privy Council.

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