CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 470

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in Enclosure No. 3 that fines will be imposed on vessels

arriving from Hongkong on which opium is found unless it

is shown that adequate steps were taken to prevent its

being placed a board while in the harbour at Hongkong.

This of course is very difficult to prevent entirely and

in this connection you will observe in Paragraph 6 of the

Governor's letter the steps which are taken by the Rong-

kong Authorities to prevent the illegal exportation of

opium which seem to be of a very thorough nature.

Yesars. Smith, Bell and Co. suggest in their letter

as a remedy (Bas Enclosures 2 and 3) for the suppression

of opium smuggling that severer penalties should be

imposed and this is a sugestion in which I heartily

Conour.

I note with gratification that this principle has

been recognized in the "Opium Amendment Ordinance 1913"

issued by the Hongkong Government to amend the former

ordinance No.23 of 1909. Copies of these two ordinancea

forwarded by the Hongkong Government in the Governor's

letter are herewith enclosed for the information of the

Philippine Government, as I particularly wish, in view of

the dissatisfaction expressed by the Acting Collector

of Customs(Bee Enclosure 5), to bring formally to his

notice the steps which have been taken by the Hongkong

Government at my request and alse at the request of

British and American shipping companies in Hongkong, for

the more effectual suppression of opium smuggling.

You will observe a brief presis of the amendments

involved in the new ordinance given in the opening

paragrapha of the Governor's letter.

The principle of severer penalties for opium emuggling

has