CO129-486 - Public Offices - 1924 — Page 509

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Cinniscive to No.

OPIK.

505

Scaph

OFFIC

Conclusions of Interdepartmental Conference at

the Home Office on Friday, 19th December 1924.

MA

1. That the draft Agreement reached at the First Opium Conference in regard to the measures to be taken for the more effective application of Chapter II. (Opium Smoking) of the Hague Convention should be signed by the British Government as soon as possible.

2. That (subject to the agreement of other Governments, as provided in the next paragraph} tho british Government should agroe to an opportunity being given to the American Delegation at the Second Conference to stato in the Corderance as fully as they wish thoir case for the proposals which they have brought forward on the subject of the suppression of the use of opium for smoking, the British and other Delegatos having equal opportunity of replying and defording the policy

and action of their Governmenta; but that there should be no abandonment of the position already taken up that the Second Conferonce is not competent to decide any of the questions (relating to Opium Smoking) relegated to the First Conference, and in the event of the American proposal to extend the scope o' the Conference being put to the voto the All the kǝpresentativo should vote against the proposal.

3. That the other Governmonte concerned in the First Conference who

have acted in concert rith us should be informed at once of the two foregoing proporala: and that car adherence to the policy in paragraph 2 should be absolutely dependent on its acceptance by France and Holland. If necessary, Sir Malcolm Delevingne should arrange a private conference with the representatives of those Countries.

4. That in the event of a discussion taking place in the Second Conference on the subject of the American proposals, the British Delegato should make as full a statomont as possible of the policy of the British Government. In particular, he should renew the suggestion or the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry, to be appointed by the League, to visit the Countries concerned; and it should be considered whether

he should not also be authorized to say -

(a) that as regards Hong Kong, when the smuggling of opium into the Colony from China ceases, His Majesty's Government will be prepared to enforce complete prohibition of the practice of opium smoking in the Colony;

(b) that as regards Malays (where the opium monopoly revenues constitute a very large part of the revenues of the Colony and independent States) His Majesty's Government have already decided to instruct the

100al

Governments of the Straits Settlements to preparo a scheme for the reorganization of the finances and budget of the Colony with a view to rendoring them indo pendent within a reasonable period of the profits

of the monopoly, and that similar measures will be recommended to the

Protected

Statos.