CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 639

ANNEXT 1.

TRANSLATION OF HIS MAJESTY'S SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

SEPTEMFER 1908, ON THE CFIUM QUESTION.

ON 21st

037

Thoro romains yot ane thor matter which has boen Gcoupying our thoughts for a long timo past, it is that of opium. It is unquoationallo that the drug has ovil offacte zpon its consumers; and casts dugradation upon ovary country where the inhabitants are largely addicted to the habit of opium smoking. Thore is no reason to doubt that tho mest oarnost desire of nearly 07ory country in the world is to supprose this noxious habit among its population. Put un- fortunatoly ther) are many obstacles in the way of the attain- mont of this object. Ariofly speaking thoro is the consi- dorable shrinkage in the States' Rovenues to be faced, thon thoro is the difficulty of compolling people already addictod to the use of the drug to throw off the habit at onco of their cwn will. Evon prohibited, it is not to be expected that such Forsons will refrain from sooking surreptitious moans to gratify their craving for opium, and theroforo if the Govorn-

mont, unable to oxcouto moasures theroby surroptitious traffic and consumption of tho drug can be offectively provantod, woro to attempt the suppression of thu opium habit, it would only bo a considerable loss of rovonuo to the Stato without any adoquato realisation of its good intentions. It is this great hindranco to the propor attainment of their object that had proventod Governmonta from immodiately suppressing the vico. Notwithstanding those groat obstacles which wo goo standing in Our way, it is novurtholoss Our boundon duty not to no- gloct Our poople and allow thom to become more and moro do- moralisud by indulgence in this noxious drug. Wo havo caruful- 17 considorod the subject and find that ways of carrying out

ar groat dosiro are not altogether wanting; and Wo have accordingly docided upon executing special measures in the ad- ministration of the opium Lonopoly whoruby the spread of tho opium habit among our poople shall become gradually 1 sacnod until it shall bã entirely suppressed.