CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 515

504

سود

The Governor of Hong Kong

is sceptical of the effectiveness of the regulations for the reasons indicated above. On the other hand

he has agreed that the regulations would stop the traffic so far as

and British snips are concerned,

H.M.G. would have set an example which

other powers belonging to the League of Nations could scarcely refuse to

follow.

It will be seen that Sir P.

Loraine practically agrees with the 0.0. views that ultimately the scheme might well not be effective because

the traffic would be diverted to foreign

ships: and to this is now added the view of the American Adviser(in which Sir P. Loraine concurs) that the immediate effects might well be to ruin the merchants who at the moment nave opium on their hands and contracts to fulfil(2)that the peasants who have already sown their seed for next year's crop

would also be ruined, a tirat The

economic disturbance caused by the ruin of Persia's staple industry as the result of action taken by H.M.G. would have a very bad political effect which would be particularly unfortunate at the present moment. He suggests, therefore, that no such drastic

action

(

widence other South to follow trait

action ought to be taken and that

the evil ought to be dealt with

gradually and through the action of

the League of Nations.

The line taken by Sir

Malcolm Delevingne is:-

(1)

that his scheme would

not interfere with legitimate

traffic; so that the American

Adviser's opinion that the effect

of the regulations would be to put a complete stop to the traffic

so far as British ship are concerned

is really an admission that the

traffic is practically entirely

illicit; and that therefore its continuance in British ships ought

not to be countenanced.

(2) that the League of Nations

is powerless, and,

(3) that unless H.M.G. takes

a strong line it is not fulfilling its obligations under the Opium

Convention.

(4) By Setting the example, HDR, unight a

In dealing with the opium

question in the Colonies the 0.0. has all sien taken the line:-

(1) that political and economic considerations cannot be

overlooked.

(2) that sudden action ie liable to do more harm than good.

The policy in the Colonies therefore is that suppression must take place

gradually.

Subject