CO129-483 - Others & Individuals - 1923 — Page 529

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and the natural reluctance (to take an analogous

British workman to have to show his case) a photograph and ration card whenever he wants a glass of beer. At the same time it is clear that

pledged the gradual and effective reduction of consumption to which the synctories of the Convention are cannot honestly be claimed to have been effe

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gradual

any Government if any decrease in consumption is caused merely by bad trade growth of public opinion condemning the practice.

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8. If I right make a personal suggestion regards Hongkong, I think that the findings of really strong commission representative of enlightened Chinen opinion, charged to consider the ways means of reducing consumption in accordance with Convention, and in particular the proposed system of repestation and ultimate rationing, would if presented to the League of Nations be'd great

great value if presented to the in due course. The Committee knows little Chince themselves think about opium-smoking, and, for exemple persists in blaming the provincials Tuchons for the

demand for opminen. recrudescence of poppy cultivation in China instead of

in it.

realising that would the wo

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9. The Committer seemed to recognize production of opium in China.

importance of the problem in those

European colonies where the presence of Chinese raises

the

same time it seemed to on oprium okim problem. At the

K be generally realised that colonies depending

apt to be biased in their view q

that Hongkong fo revenue "problem. I was prepared & say

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had gradually

of revenue, prepared itself

complete disappearance of opium

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