CO129-510-8 Policy on sale of Opium 12-1-1928 - 24-7-1928 — Page 54

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30226/27

combined operations of Governments, no more supplies

are available.

26.

This I conceive to be the policy of the

League and it is a policy which the Hong Kong

Government will wholeheartedly support. But it

clearly implies that, while raw opium is still

procurable by private traders, Governments must

have access to supplies. For this reason I ventured

to doubt (see paragraph 6 supra) whether the action

of the Government of India in denying supplies to

British Colonial Governments, and I would add to

macao, is really best suited to advance the common

cause under existing circumstances. Eut His Majesty's

Government has now further decided that the Hong Kong

Covernment must not purchase opium from the Persian

Government, even though the express purpose in

view is to combat the opium smuggler. The League,

however, has just induced the Tersian Government to

assume control over opium for the same purpose;

1927!

and, when you inform me in your telegram of the

15th October,

that Forsian production has

been stimulated by government monopolies in the

Far East consequent on the restriction of exports

from India" surely it is overlooked that the object

of the League under existing conditions is to

restrict the operations, not of Governments, but of

private tradera and smugglers. It is well known

that Persian opium is available in large quantities

to private traders. Surely then the decision recently

11 No. 6.30236 / 27C No.7]

25

taken