CO129-483 - Others & Individuals - 1923 — Page 397

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Hong Kong

I turn now to a brief review of the

suggestions which form part of the

dicond,

Advisory Committee's 2nd Resolution.

Requires no comment

(31940)

DRAFT.

MINUTE.

Mr.

Mr.

Mr.

Sir G. Davis.

Sir G. Grindle.

Sir H. Read.

Sir J. Masterton Smith.

Mr. Ormaby-Gore.

Duke of Devonshire.

"(1)

In your despatch No.178 of the

+

16th of May; the receipt of which I take

this opportunity to acknowledge you have

agreed to adopt this suggestion. It

would, I think, be well to proceed at

ance with the gradual supercession of

the

existing system by a system of

direct Government retail sales; as,

apart from the consideration mentioned in

the Advisory Committee's resolution, the

complete elimination of the private

Trader will, in my opinion, greatly

reduce the difficulties to be faced when

further progressive measures for the

control of the use of opium are under-

taken.

I may observe parentheti-

cally that this policy was adopted in

Federated Malay States some time ago.

attractive, if for no other

the

(IIIS

+ No. 31940/23%,

reason