CO129-472 - Others - 1921 — Page 249

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are abundant reasons of a more general nature for

deploring any drastic or ill-considered action in

prematurely suppressing the Opium Traffic in the

Eastern Colonies. They may be briefly summarized

as follows.

Abolition of the Government Konopoly would

not abolish the demand for the drug. A vast in-

crease in contraband traffic would inevitably ensue,

which the resources of the Colonial Governments

would be powerless to suppres8.

The Opium habit would be replaced by the

far greater and more unmanageable evils of excessive

indulgence in alcohol, and the craving for morphine,

cocaine and ever similar drugs.

confirmation

Recent develop-

ments in China afford empie, pleed of this.

100 The native population, if suddenly depriv-

ed of a drug to the enjoyment of which they have

been accustomed for generatione, would be subjected

to a very real hardship and injustice, resentment at

which might easily assume an active and dangerous

form. In any event, immigration from Chine, upon

which Halaya in particular is very largely dependent

for commercial prosperity, would be diverted to

other territories.

in fast

The Governments of the Eastern Colonies

have strictly complied with the terms of every

article of the Hague Opium Convention of 1912, although it has mit beu a firee.

In accordance with Article 6, which prescribes that

measures shall be taken "for the gradual and effective

suppression of the manufacture of, internal trade in,

and use of, prepared Opium, with due regard to the

varying circumstances of each country concerned,

unless regulations on the subject are already in

existence

existence", a consistent policy has been pursued of

--

gradually limiting the consumption and raising the

price of the prepared article. In Hong Kong, for

example, the average annual consumption of the

Chinese population has been reduced from 3.24 taels

per caput in 1912 to .94 taela in 1919. In the

Straits Settlements the price of prepared Opium to

the consumer has been gradually raised from $3 per

tael in 1910 to $12.50 in 1919. In reply to a

despatch from the Secretary of State enquiring what

further steps, consistent with safety, could be

taken to comply with Article 6 of the Convention,

the Governors of Hong Kong and the Straits

Settlements in 1919 recommended certain administrative

measures to ensure greater stringency of control and limitation of consumption"

which have since been

carried into effect; they emphatically expressed the

view, however, that any precipitate or violent

departure from the policy of "gradual suppression"

was certain to prove not only impracticable but

actually dangerous to the welfare of the Colony.

6. The foregoing is of necessity a mere out-

line of the case for the Eastern Colonies. It is

hoped, however, that enough has been said to justify

the contention that the special interests of Hong

Kong and British Malaya demand special representation

on the Advisory Committee to the Council of the

League. Should the appointment of an additional

Member directly representing these Colonies be found

impracticable, it is submitted that the British

Representative be specifically instructed to use

every endeavour to safeguard these interests, and

with