CO129-457 - Public Offices - 1919 — Page 648

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India Office to Foreign Office.-(Received October 4.)

India Office, October 3, 1919. IN continuation of Mr. Turner's letter, dated the 20th March, 1919, and with reference to Mr. Wellesley's letter of the 16th September, 1919, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to forward, for the information of Earl Curzon of Kedleston, copy of correspondence on the subject of the opium policy of the Government of India.

2. The Government of India are unable to accept the suggestion made by Sir J. Jordan that the export of Indian opium to the Far East should be prohibited. Mr. Montagu agrees that a case has not been established in favour of such a prohibition, but he concurs in the view taken by the Government of India that every effort should continue to be made to limit the exports of opium from India to the legitimate requirements of the consuming countries. He considers the expedient of permitting export only under cover of consular certificates, which has been suggested as affording a further check supplementary to those now in force, objectionable for various reasons, and prefers the alternative which the Government of India have proposed of attempting to extend the system of direct sales of opium to the Governments of the consuming countries. relieve India of responsibility for any abuses which may occur, and to place the The object of this proposal is to obligation of limiting imports to the quantities required for legitimate consumption directly upon the Governments of the consuming countries, which alone are in a position to gauge the legitimate demand, and to restrict their imports to the amounts necessary to meet that demand, If agreements of the nature proposed be entered into, drawn up in such a manner as to cover imports of opium for legitimate consumption only, as certified by the Government of the importing country, Mr. Montagu considers that the end which the Government of India desire to attain will be reached. The limit of 13,200 chests a year, voluntarily imposed by the Government of India some years ago upon the total Indian exports of opium to countries which use the drug for smoking or eating, would in any event not be exceeded.

3. I am to request that, if Earl Curzon sees no objection, the Governments of France and Japan may now be approached in order to ascertain whether they are prepared to negotiate such agreements. A copy of the arrangement recently concluded with the Government of the Straits Settlements is attached; this would, it is considered, form a suitable model for the proposed agreements, as regards the conditions to be embodied in them. It will be observed that the rate per chest at which, if such agreements are made, opium would be sold to France and Japan has not yet been finally settled; on receipt of a reply of the Government of India to paragraph 5 of the despatch of the 11th September a further communication will be made on this point.

4. The question of the suppression of the cultivation of the poppy in the frontier tracts of Burma, and the allied problem of the stoppage of smuggling into China from these tracts, are dealt with in paragraph 7 of the despatch of the 11th September. Mr. Montagu agrees with the Government of India that the suppression of this cultivation, and the prevention of smuggling, are attended with very great difficulties; but he considers it essential that all practicable measures should be taken as soon as possible to suppress cultivation in Burma, and to prevent the introduction of opium from Burma into China. In view of the situation in the border tracts of China, and in the Chinese provinces contiguous to the frontier, as disclosed in the various consular reports, he is of opinion that it would be inadvisable for the Government of Burma to press their restrictive measures at present to a point where danger of serious unrest or disturbance is anticipated.

5. A copy of this letter, and of the enclosure, has been sent to the Home Office.

I have, &c.

F. KERSHAW.

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