CO129-472 - Others - 1921 — Page 251

248

Memorandum

on the Opium Trade in the Eastern Colonies, with

special reference to the International Opium Convention

signed at the Rogue on the 23rd January,1912. (Continuation of remorandum prepared in the Celonial office on the 10th February, 1981.)

A

1. The following declaration was appended

to the signatures of the British Delegates to the Opium

Convention of 19131-

"The articles of the present Convention,

if ratified by His British Majesty's Government, shall

apply to the Government of British India,Ceylon, Straita

Settimaants, Hong Kong, and Wei Hai Wei in every respect

in the same way as they shall apply to the United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland".

2. Article 23 of the Convention provided

that it should come into foron 3 menthe „fter the date

of receipt of the last instrument of ratification.

The process of ratification by the various signatory

powers was suspended by the outbreak of War in August,

1914.

a.

Under Article 295 of the Treaty of

Versailles it was provided that those of the High

Contrnoting Parties who had not yet signed or ratified

the Opium Convention should agree to bring the said

Convention into force; and for this purpose, to enact

the necessary legislation within 12 months of the

coming into foron of the Treaty. The Convention

Recordingly become effective, so far as the British

Empire le concerned, on the 10th January, 1920.