CO129-483 - Others & Individuals - 1923 — Page 409

403

Committee effective, His Grace is informed

that there is little doubt that the recom-

J

mendations of the Advisory Committee will

be accepted by the Assembly.

2.

In this event it is anticipated

that the proposed Conference of Powers

with Far Eastern territories, which was

キ

recommended in the second resolution adopted

by the Advisory Committee, will take place

probably in the summer of next year.

3. In connexion with this

resolution I am to remind you (for

convenience of reference) hat the text

of Article 6 of the International

Opium Convention, 1912, is as follows:-

"The Contracting Powers shall take

measures 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,"

4.

His Grace is aware that the

measures which have already been taken

in North Borneo for the control of the

manufacture, trade in, and use of

prepared opium, comply in a large

measure with the requirements of the

Convention. It has, however, been

represented to His Grace that, in the

system of control in force in North

Borneo, (in common with other British

Colonies and Protectorates in the Far

East), ultimately the only effective

checks on the amount of opium which may

be consumed are (1) the high price of

the commodity and (2) the fluctuationa

of demand, determined by the purchasing

power of consumers; and that it is diffi-

cult to defend the continuance of such

a system in territory under the protection

of a Power which claims an effective

observance of the Convention. His Grace

is compelled to agree that these obser-

vations have considerable force, and

4.

+ Ammosque to ho.44421/231

6.44421/23

उ

(4

that