CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 471

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has also been recognised by the Philippine dovernment in Commission Bill No.59 which provides for the imprisonment of an offender for a period of not less than one or more than five years, with or without fine, in place of a fine

only as heretofore and this would no doubt be an excellent deterrent for the operations of the alleged Chinese oplum Syndicate gangs in Manila and Hongkong.

Unfortunately however although this bill was passed by the Commission it failed to pass the Philippine Legislature at the session ended last February and I therefore venture to urge that, in view of the important interests involved, it shall receive the earnest attention and the energetio support of the Philippine Government at the next October session with a view to its speedy

enactment.

In paragraph 5 of the Governor's letter you will notice that he would welcome the cooperation of the

Philippine Government in inducing the French and Portuguese Governments to limit the supply of prepared opium in kacao and Kwong-Chow-wan to legitimate local requirements. In this possible? And further that in Paragraph 7 he requests that the authorities in Vanila will be good enough to inform the Hongkong Government of all seizures of smuggling opium made and of the circumstances in which

they are made and that at the same time samples of the

oplum seized may be furnished as this would assist in

tracing the course from which the opium is obtained.

if it be possible for the Philippine Government to accede to this proposal I would suggest that any information given should be conveyed to Hongkong direct by the Customs

as soon as possible after each seizure is affected togethe? : with the samples desired, as promptitude would seem to be

desirable