CO129-471 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 324

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

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL,

[F 2514/15/10]

No. 1.

[July 11.]

SECTION 2. 44732

O

(No. 277.)

Sir B. Alston to Earl Curzon.—(Received July 1£.)

HIS Majesty's Minister, Peking, presents his compliments to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and transmits herewith copy of a letter, dated the 9th instant, from the Anti-Opium Association respecting the restriction of opium traffic in British possessions and protectorates in the Far East.

Peking, May 23, 1921.

Sir,

Enclosure in No. 1.

Anti-Opium Association to Sir B, Alston.

THE board of directors of the International Anti-Opium Association, Peking, has

Peking, May 9, 1921. received from His British Majesty's Legation a document entitled "Opium," containing the following:-

1. A letter from the Colonial Office to the Foreign Office, dated the 5th January, 1921.

2. A letter from the Governor of Hong Kong to Viscount Miluer, dated the 31st July, 1920.

3. Return of confiscated opium for period the 1st January to the 20th July, 1920. 4. A letter from the Governor of Singapore to Viscount Milner, dated the 27th October, 1920.

5. A report of a committee appointed by the Governor of Singapore.

6. A letter from the Governor of Singapore to Viscount Milner, dated the 25th November, 1919.

7. Extract from Recommendations of Committee for Abolishing the use of Opium. 8. A letter from the Officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong to Viscount Milner, dated the 25th September, 1919.

Accompanying the above there was also a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, Whitehall, to the Hon. Secretary, Edinburgh Anti-Opium Committee.

After the most careful study of these documents the board notice the following points of importance :-—

1. That Viscount Milner and the Governors of British Malaya and Hong Kong consider that the Governments of British Malaya and Hong Kong have fully and conscientiously complied with the terms of The Hague Opium Convention.

2. That there are great difficulties in the way of prohibition, partly on account of extensive smuggling, which is difficult of suppression because of the geographical position of the Colonies, partly on account of the effect of prohibition on the fabour question, and for other reasons.

3. That there are certain serious dangers which might result if prohibition were enforced, among them being the indulgence in alcoholic drinks, and in more dangerous drugs, such as morphia and cocaine.

Concerning these the board of directors would most respectfully submit the following considerations:-

1. While acknowledging that by the imposition of more stringent regulations, and by maintaining a high price for opium, the Governments of Hong Kong and British Malaya have taken action in accordance with the terms of The Hague Opium Convention. yet the board desire to draw attention to the following:-

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From the report attached to the letter from the Governor of Singapore to Viscount Milner it appears that while the amount of chandu sold has decreased, and in 1917 was

[6641 7-2].

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