CO129-483 - Others & Individuals - 1923 — Page 368

Mr.Collins

Coper of

minute

on 20565. 362

On Saturday I had occasion to see Sir M.

Delevingne in connection with a House of Commons

Question. He took the opportunity of discussing

briefly the proceedings of the recent meeting of the League of Nations Opium Advisory Committee. I. Hong Kong's requirements

Sir M.D.did not raise this question separately

but he dealt with it in connection with his general

proposals. The Committee did not evince the least particularinterest in Hong Kong. The only delegate who tried to hold forth on the subject was the Chinese and he was promptly "squashed".

The result is that the Advisory Committee has not recommended the limitation of the Sales of Hong Kong Government Opium in 1923 to the average of recent years. The bottom is therefore knocked out of the pledge given to the League of Nations Assembly by the British delegates last September and Hong Kong can carry on without any drastic action of this sort for the present.

II. The resolution adopted by the Committee on Sir M.Delevingne's motion that the Powers with Far Eastern possessions should meet in conference to discuss the possibilities of their entering into an agreement for uniform action to secure a reduction in the consumption of opium, on the lines indicated in the Resolution,

We have not yet received a copy of the Report, but Sir M.Delevingne has lent me his copy, which I

You will find the

have promised to return. resolution in question on page 8.

Sir M.Delevingne

has